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Metabolism |
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Metabolism: The whole range of biochemical processes that occur within us (or any living organism). Metabolism consists both of anabolism and catabolism (the buildup and breakdown of substances, respectively). The term is commonly used to refer specifically to the breakdown of food and its transformation into energy. Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) - Also known as serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT). By contrast, they are normally found largely in the liver. This is not to say that it is exclusively located in liver but that is where it is most concentrated. It is released into the bloodstream as the result of liver injury. It therefore serves as a fairly specific indicator of liver status. Alkaline Phosphatase - Is an enzyme, a protein that helps cells work. You find alkaline phosphatase in high concentrations in the cells that make bone and in the liver. In the liver, it is found on the edges of cells that join to form bile ducts (tiny tubes that drain bile from the liver to the bowels where it is needed to help digest fat in the diet). Smaller amounts of ALP are found in the placenta (afterbirth) of women who are pregnant, and in the bowel. Each of these body parts makes different forms of ALP. The different forms are called isoenzymes. Albumin - Used to check a person’s nutritional status, for example, when someone has lost a lot of weight. Also since albumin is low in many different diseases and disorders, albumin testing is used in a variety of settings to help diagnose disease, to monitor changes in health status with treatment or with disease progression, and as a screen that may serve as an indicator for other kinds of testing. Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) - Also known as serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT). is normally found in a diversity of tissues including liver, heart, muscle, kidney, and brain. It is released into serum when any one of these tissues is damaged. For example, its level in serum rises with heart attacks and with muscle disorders. It is therefore not a highly specific indicator of liver injury. |
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Bilirubin - When bilirubin levels are high, a condition called jaundice ( a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes) occurs, and further testing is needed to determine the cause. Too much bilirubin may mean that too many red cells are being destroyed, or that the liver is incapable of removing bilirubin from the blood. Blood Urea Nitrogen (bun) - Used to evaluate kidney function and monitor the effectiveness of dialysis. Calcium - Blood calcium is tested to screen for, diagnose, and monitor a range of conditions relating to the bones, heart, nerves, kidneys, and teeth. Blood calcium levels do not directly tell how much calcium is in the bones, but rather, how much total calcium or ionized calcium is circulating in the blood. Doctors can get a better picture of your health by comparing your calcium result with the results of other tests. Creatinine - Spontaneously converted by the muscles use of creatine which is originated in the liver and transported to the muscles for energy. Chloride - An electrolyte, when combined with sodium it is mostly found in nature as “salt.” Chloride is important in maintaining the normal acid-base balance of the body and, along with sodium, in keeping normal levels of water in the body. Chloride generally increases or decreases in direct relationship to sodium, but may change without any change in sodium when there are problems with too much acid or base in your body. |
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Glucose - A monosaccharide, a simple sugar that serves as the main source of energy for the body. The carbohydrates we eat are broken down into glucose (and a few other simple sugars), absorbed by the small intestine and circulated throughout the body. Most of the body?s cells require glucose for energy production; brain and nervous system cells not only rely on glucose for energy, they can only function when glucose levels in the blood remain within a narrow range. Iron - Too much iron can lead to damage to a number of organs, including the heart, liver, pancreas (where insulin is made) and joints most commonly. The most common cause of iron excess is an inherited disease called hemochromatosis. Iron deficiency occurs in a range of severity. The mildest stage is iron depletion, which means the amount of functioning iron in your body is alright, but the body does not have any extra iron stores. Magnesium - Abnormal levels of magnesium are most frequently seen in conditions or diseases that cause impaired or excessive excretion of magnesium by the kidneys or that cause impaired absorption in the intestines. Magnesium levels may be checked as part of an evaluation of the severity of kidney problems and/or of uncontrolled diabetes and may help in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal disorders. Phosphorus - This testing is very important in people who are malnourished or who are being treated for ketoacidosis. Phosphorus testing is used to help diagnose and evaluate the severity of conditions and diseases that affect the gastrointestinal tract, interfering with the absorption of phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. Testing also can help to diagnose disorders that affect the kidneys, interfering with mineral excretion and conservation, and phosphorus levels are carefully monitored in people with kidney failure. Potassium - An electolyte that is present in all body fluids, but most potassium is within your cells, with only 2 percent in fluids outside the cells, including the liquid part of the blood (called serum or plasma). Because the blood concentration of potassium is so small, minor changes have significant consequences. If potassium goes too high (hyperkalemia) or too low (hypokalemia), your health may be in considerable danger: you are at risk for developing shock, respiratory failure, or heart rhythm disturbances. The most common cause of hyperkalemia is kidney disease, but many drugs can decrease potassium excretion from the body and result in this condition. |
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Serum Protein - Also know as Glycated Serum Protein (GSP), Normal fructosamine levels may indicate that a patient is either not diabetic (and therefore should not be monitored) or that he has good diabetic control. A trend from high to normal fructosamine levels may indicate that changes to a patient’s treatment regimen are effective. Sodium - Blood sodium is used to detect the cause and help monitor treatment in persons with dehydration, edema, or with a variety of symptoms. Blood sodium is often abnormal with many diseases; your doctor may order this test if you have symptoms of illness involving the brain, lungs, liver, heart, kidney, thyroid, or adrenal glands. Total Iron-Binding Capacity - Also known as transferrin is typically used along with serum iron to evaluate persons suspected of having too much or too little iron. Usually, about one third of the transferrin measured is being used to transport iron. In iron deficiency, iron is low, but TIBC is increased. In iron overload, such as in hemochromatosis, iron will be high and TIBC will be low or normal. Because transferrin is made in the liver, TIBC and transferrin will also be low with liver disease. Transferrin levels fall relatively rapidly when there is not enough protein in the diet, and so can also be used to monitor nutrition. |
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Uric Acid - This test is used to learn whether the body might be breaking down cells too quickly or not getting rid of uric acid quickly enough. The test also is used to monitor levels of uric acid when a patient has had chemotherapy or radiation treatments. Often patients with high levels of uric acid will be suffering from pain in their toes or joints. These patients often have a disease called gout, which is an inherited disorder that affects purine breakdown. The test may also be ordered if a patient appears to have failing kidneys. |
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