Lab Work

A1C test (HbA1c)

Measures the average amount of glucose attached to hemoglobin in your red blood cells over the past 2 to 3 months.

AST and ALT

Measures two liver enzymes—Aspartate aminotransferase and Alanine aminotransferase—that leak into your bloodstream when liver or muscle cells are damaged or inflamed.

Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP)

Is a routine blood test that measures eight specific substances in your blood to evaluate your body’s fluid balance, blood sugar, electrolyte levels, and kidney function.

What is Included in a BMP

• Glucose: Checks your blood sugar level to screen for or monitor diabetes.
• Calcium: Evaluates nerve function, muscle contraction, heart health, and blood clotting.
• Electrolytes:
  • Sodium and Chloride (manage fluid and water balance)
  • Potassium (crucial for heart and cell function)
  • Carbon Dioxide / Bicarbonate (measures acid-base balance)
• Kidney Function Markers:
  • Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) and Creatinine (waste products filtered out by the kidneys)

Complete Blood Count (CBC)

A standard blood test that measures the number and size of cells circulating in your blood to evaluate your overall health and detect conditions like anemia, infections, and blood disorders.

What a CBC Measures

• Red Blood Cells (RBCs): Cells that carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body, evaluated alongside Hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein) and Hematocrit (the percentage of red blood cells in the blood).
• White Blood Cells (WBCs): Cells that fight infections and handle immune responses; a “CBC with differential” breaks these down into specific sub-types like neutrophils and lymphocytes.
• Platelets: Small cell fragments that help your blood clot to stop bleeding.
• Red Blood Cell Indices: Measurements like MCV (mean corpuscular volume), which tracks the average size of your red blood cells to help classify types of anemia.

Lipid Panel

A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels to evaluate your risk for heart disease and stroke.

What the Test Measures

• Total Cholesterol: Combines all cholesterol types;
• LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein): Known as “bad” cholesterol that builds up in artery walls;
• HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein): Known as “good” cholesterol that helps clear other fats from your blood;
• Triglycerides: A type of fat stored from unused calories;
• VLDL & Non-HDL Cholesterol: Extra calculations derived from the profile to further assess cardiovascular risk.

Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

A blood test measures the amount of TSH produced by your pituitary gland to evaluate how well your thyroid is working.