Posts

How Often are Liver Tests Done?

Image
Aside from the factors mentioned earlier, here are more reasons to have your liver checked: ●      Examine possible side effects of regular use of medications such as NSAIDs, statins, anti seizure medicines, statins, and tuberculosis drugs. ●      Monitor any existing liver disorder, fatty liver disease, or cirrhosis. ●      Check how well you are responding to medication to address liver disease. ●      If you have medical conditions like gallbladder disease, high triglycerides, diabetes, high blood pressure, or anemia. ●      If you are a heavy drinker of alcohol. What Preparations Do I Need to Make Before a Liver Function Test? The food you eat, or medications you take may affect the levels of enzymes and proteins in your blood. Therefore, your GP may ask you to keep away from certain medicines or food before your test. Generally, a fasting period of 10 to 12 hours is required before taking the test. Therefore, talking to your GP about specific requirements based on your
Post a Comment
Read more

Understanding the Top Thyroid Diseases

Image
Thyroid disease is a broad term used to cover different thyroid disorders. As part of the endocrine system, your thyroid produces hormones controlling vital body functions such as metabolism. Thyroid diseases occur when your thyroid is unable to create the right amount of hormones for your body's needs. A definitive way to diagnose this is through a thyroid blood test. Common Thyroid Problems Here are the most common thyroid diseases detected through blood testing: ●      Hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid. It is a disorder that causes the thyroid to overproduce the T3 and T4 hormones, which speeds up the body's function. ●      Hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid. On the other hand, this disorder causes an underproduction of hormones slowing down your body's functions. ●      Hashimoto's disease or lymphocytic thyroiditis. It is an autoimmune disease causing antibodies to destroy your thyroid gland and its function. This problem usually results in hyp
Post a Comment
Read more

The Long Term Effects of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Infection

Image
Tick-borne encephalitis, or TBE, is a viral infection that can affect your central nervous system. TBE is transmitted through bites of an infected tick, usually of the Ixodidae family. These ticks are found in most parts of Asia and Europe, including some regions of England. Grassy areas are the usual habitats of ticks; therefore, you are more at risk of being bitten by infected ticks if you engage in activities such as hiking and camping. The cases of TBE have been rapidly growing. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reported that TBE cases in endemic areas have escalated by nearly 400% in the last three decades. This is fast becoming a public health concern, making the tick-borne encephalitis vaccine a necessity, especially for travellers . Symptoms of Tick-borne Encephalitis Some people infected with TBE do not exhibit any symptoms, while for others, initial symptoms include: ●      Fever ●      Loss of appetite ●      Aches ●      Headache ●    
Post a Comment
Read more

Cholesterol Screening: Who Should Get Tested and How Often?

Image
High cholesterol can cause fatty deposits in your arteries which raises your risk of heart attack or stroke. Since high cholesterol isn’t something you can see or feel, the only way to diagnose high cholesterol is to take a cholesterol blood test. How often do you need a cholesterol test? That depends primarily on your age, weight, lifestyle, and family history. Early detection of high cholesterol can help prevent future heart disease which, if left untreated, can lead to serious events such as stroke or heart attack. Regular cholesterol tests can also determine if medical treatment and lifestyle changes are working to lower cholesterol levels. In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of regular cholesterol screening for heart health. What Is a Cholesterol Blood Test? If you want to get a cholesterol screening, you need to take a cholesterol blood test (aka a lipid panel or lipid profile) to measure how much cholesterol and how many triglycerides you have in your blood. Essentiall
Post a Comment
Read more

When to Get a Kidney Function Test: Understanding the Risk Factors and Symptoms of Kidney Disease

Image
Timely and routine testing of kidney function is the best way to assess how your kidneys are working and diagnose chronic kidney disease (CKD). Being proactive and taking a kidney function test can ensure your kidneys stay healthy and work longer. Kidney function tests— aka renal function tests—are easy and quick at Anna Pharmacy in South London. Schedule your blood test for kidney function in Carshalton , Croydon, Sutton, Wallington, or any of our other 15 branches. If you want to get a better understanding of the risk factors and symptoms of kidney disease, keep reading. What is kidney disease? Kidney disease can affect your body’s ability to control blood pressure, filter excess water from your blood, and clean the blood that flows through your body. It can also slow down vitamin D metabolism that’s needed for strong bones and the production of red blood cells. As a result, excess fluid and waste from blood circulate in the body which can eventually cause health problems, such as h
Post a Comment
Read more

Understanding the Liver: What It Does, How It Works, and Why It's So Important?

Image
The liver has many important purposes and functions within the human body. Iy also has an impressive ability to regenerate itself even after it has been damaged. Without a healthy liver, you can’t get the necessary energy from food or break down proteins and fats. Maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol consumption, and exercising regularly are the best ways to ensure that your liver stays healthy . Liver diseases such as hepatitis and cirrhosis can damage the liver and prevent it from functioning properly. If you have symptoms of liver disease, your GP will prescribe a liver function test to determine proper treatment. Anna Pharmacy provides liver function tests in Wallington, Sutton, Hackbridge, and many other branches across London. Keep reading to learn exactly what the liver does, its purpose, and some of the diseases that affect it. What Does the Liver Do? The liver is your body’s largest solid organ and is vital to the body’s immune system, detoxification, and metabolic
Post a Comment
Read more

Everything You Need to Know About Blood Tests for Diabetes

Image
Various blood tests are available in the UK to detect and diagnose the disease. Your healthcare provider will recommend undergoing any of these laboratory tests to facilitate the proper intervention or treatment protocol. Understanding the Differences between Each Diabetes Blood Test Blood tests for diabetes are vital as they allow clinicians to assess the glucose level in the blood accurately. Additionally, it provides helpful information that allows your clinicians to a program to manage your diabetes . There are three main blood tests for diabetes to assess your blood’s glucose level: ·     Fasting plasma glucose test. Blood samples are taken in the morning after 8 hours of fasting to measure blood glucose. ·     Oral glucose tolerance test. Usually taken over two hours and involves drinking a sugary solution and then taking the blood samples. ·      Random plasma glucose test. Blood samples are taken at any time, regardless of when the patient last ate. The availabil
Post a Comment
Read more