Three Lab Tests Your Doctor Should Order Annually

You may have heard that you should be having a complete examination on an annual basis, but did you know that there are also some lab tests that should be checked annually? These lab tests are usually done as part of an annual physical. But if you have not had these tests recently, you should consider getting them done. Here are three tests your doctor should be checking annually.

Metabolic Panel

A metabolic panel is a comprehensive variety of tests done on blood drawn to determine if there are any issues with glucose level, fluid balance, kidney function, and liver function. The metabolic panel aims for early detection of kidney, liver, and other health problems. 

A1C

While the metabolic panel measures your blood glucose at the time of the blood draw, it doesn’t necessarily show issues that could lead to a diagnosis of diabetes or prediabetes. For these results, an A1C test must be completed. The A1C is an indicator of blood glucose over the previous three months. While not everyone needs to have their A1C checked, people who have risk factors for diabetes should be tested.

Lipid Panel

The lipid panel is a blood test that checks for levels of cholesterol. The test will check for levels of HDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), LDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), triglycerides, and overall cholesterol. These tests are usually recommended for most adults to discover issues before they become real health concerns.

If you haven’t had any of these tests for more than a year, you need to schedule a physical and get them completed. Contact us today for more information or to schedule an appointment.