What are the Most Common Blood Tests in India?

What are the Most Common Blood Tests in India?What They Reflect

Blood tests provide crucial data points, allowing deeper assessment of health status. Have you wondered which are the most routinely ordered blood investigations in India currently? Let’s examine the top testing tallies and what key inferences doctors derive from them for preventive screening or confirmatory diagnosis.

#1 Complete Blood Count Test

A Complete Blood Count (CBC) test emerges topmost, comprising over 30% of all ordered blood workups. Doctors favour ordering a CBC as a broad first-line test before suggesting more specific blood examinations subsequently if anomalies show up.

What CBC Results Reflect?

Assessing counts of three major cells types, a CBC signals:

• 👉 Infection if high white cell and low platelet counts
• 👉 Anemia if red blood cells are diminished
• 👉 Blood cancer if abnormal cells are spotted
• 👉 Internal bleeding when platelet levels dip abnormally

Thus, CBC works as a crucial baseline early screening marker before further targeted diagnostics.

#2 Fasting Plasma Glucose Test

This investigation estimating blood sugar levels after 8–12 hours of calorie avoidance comes second. With diabetes prevalence hitting new peaks yearly, doctors rely on fasting glucose values to confirm or rule out diagnosis before planning treatment to control glycaemia.

What Glucose Test Results Imply?

• 👉 FPG under 100 mg/dL is normal
• 👉 100-125 mg/dL indicates prediabetes
• 👉 Over 126 mg/dL confirms diabetes risk warranting interventions

Unmanaged high blood glucose over years fatally jeopardizes heart, kidney, eye and nerve health. Hence, this test ranks among the top ordered.

#3 Lipid Profile Test

This blood examination estimating total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides ranks next in testing volumes. With urbanization expanding waistlines, lipid profile allows assessment of cardiac risks tied to unhealthy lipids years before actual heart attacks happen.

What Lipid Profile Values Suggest?

• 👉 LDL over 190 mg/dL - very high risk
• 👉 HDL under 40 mg/dL - risk factor
• 👉 Triglycerides over 150 mg/dL – heart risk

Once risk areas are identified, managing high cholesterol, blood pressure and lifestyle measures can save lives.

#4 Liver Function Tests

Liver enzyme level testing emerges as the fourth most ordered examination. Fatty liver linked to obesity and diabetes, rising alcohol intake and chronic hepatitis are overloading liver functions nationally.

How liver Function Test Results Help?

Abnormal ALT, AST, albumin and bilirubin levels indicate:

• 👉 Early liver injury warranting imaging tests
• 👉 Viral hepatitis infection requiring antivirals
• 👉 Autoimmune disease needing immunosuppressants

Thus, LFT analysis crucially signals silent sufferers to intervene before cirrhosis.

#5 Kidney Function Tests

This review of filtration and excretion capacity concludes the top 5 tally. Diabetes and hypertension risky in India frequently precipitate kidney damage over years if not monitored.

What Do Kidney Function Test Findings Show?

• 👉 High creatinine is an early red flag for renal dysfunction
• 👉 Albumin in urine marks early vessel damage
• 👉 Abnormal sodium, potassium etc signal acute issues Identifying threats early makes treatment easier safeguarding kidney health.

In essence, preventive care via the top ordered blood biomarker tests helps mitigate epidemic proportions rising NCDs can potentially unleash nationally.