Why get tested? Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can affect women and men. It is a contagious infection that increases the risk for ectopic pregnancy, HIV, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and reactive arthritis. The accuracy of the chlamydia test is very high and it has more than 95% specificity. Moreover, it can detect chlamydia in its early stages, within only 1 to 2 weeks of exposure. Regular STI screening is necessary to prevent the risk and complications due to Chlamydia infection. The Chlamydia test is painless, simple, and generally very accurate. This disease can stay dormant for many years in the body and only cause an asymptomatic unnoticeable infection. That infection is harmful to health as it could potentially flare up and lead to symptomatic infection. What is being tested? Chlamydia test checks urine or swab for diagnosing chlamydia infection. For women, the test is performed on a swab of the discharge from the cervix for antigen testing or culture for chlamydia. The chlamydia test can take place during a Pap test. Preparation needed? It could be asked not to take antibiotics for 24 hours before getting the chlamydia test. However, you have to consult with a healthcare provider to get any special instructions about preparing for the chlamydia test. Fasting required? No
Why get tested? Repeated use of cocaine prevents full detoxification and increases the risk of accumulation of residuals of cocaine. This effect can result from prolonged intake of cocaine and taking a large quantity of substance in a short time. What is being tested? Drug tests such as the cocaine test are generally performed on blood specimens as they detect metabolites of cocaine for the shortest time duration and are also less expensive than the other testing methods that require specialized equipment. Preparation needed? No Fasting required? No
Why get tested? CBC tests comprehensively analyze blood specimens and it is used for diagnosing several health abnormalities and disorders such as anemia. Moreover, it also helps analyze the side effects of the medications. What is being tested? The CBC tests measure red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood specimens. Preparation needed? No Fasting required? No
Why get tested? CMP test (comprehensive metabolic panel) checks different aspects of health by making 14 vital measurements. The CMP tests analyze nutrient levels, kidney function, and liver function. What is being tested? The CMP panel makes a diagnosis by making 14 different types of measurements. The protein tests comprise the albumin test and the total protein test. The electrolytes panel has tests for sodium, potassium, and bicarbonates. Preparation needed? The CMP tests do not require specific preparation. But before the test, it is necessary to inform the doctor about the intake of any prescription or non-prescription medicines or supplements as certain medicines may alter the results of the tests. Fasting required? No
Why get tested?Cortisol test measures the stress hormone called cortisol in blood specimens. Excess cortisol hormone is a main indicator of stress as this hormone is synthesized in response to stressful conditions. Cortisol hormone has many significant functions, for instance, it helps to maintain blood pressure, and in regulating the response of the immune system.Reduced cortisol levels can cause inflammation. High cortisol is harmful to the health of the body, and it may cause Cushing syndrome. Inflammation and stress increase cortisol so the cortisol total test helps in the diagnosis of certain diseases. High cortisol levels indicate medical problems with the adrenal glands or the pituitary glands.Benign or noncancerous pituitary gland tumors can cause excess release of cortisol.The cortisol levels test is specifically used in the diagnosis of Addison disease, and Cushing syndrome.Cortisol is also called the stress hormone as it is released to cope with a stressful situation such as intense pain, or post-surgery.In addition to stress management, cortisol serves several other important functions in the body, such as in the metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins.Low cortisol level is also a medical problem as cortisol is essential for metabolism and several other functions in the body.What is being tested?Only a small fraction of cortisol is free, while most of it is attached to a protein. Free cortisol is present in the saliva, and urine. The cortisol levels test checks for the cortisol hormone in the urine, saliva, or blood sample. The cortisol hormone has several more functions, in addition to the regulation of stress. Cortisol decreases inflammation and regulates the sugar level in the blood, metabolism, and the formulation of memory. It also controls blood pressure by regulating the balance of water and salt. Preparation needed?No, the cortisol levels change throughout the day but generally, they are the highest in the morning. So, the doctors generally request this test to be done in the morning.Fasting required?No
Why get tested? The Creatine Kinase test is used to diagnose several disease conditions such as heart attack and disorders due to muscle damage. Moreover, the CK blood test is specifically used to identify a second or subsequent cardiac attack. The primary tests for detecting heart attack are troponin T and I – markers, as these are also very relevant to the cardiac tissue. However, the creatine kinase test is used for detecting any subsequent heart attacks. What is being tested? Creatine kinase test helps diagnose damage to skeletal muscle as the quantity of the creatine kinase enzyme increase in such a situation. Creatine Kinase is an enzyme. It is found in skeletal muscle, the brain, the heart, as well as other tissues. It acts as a catalyst in the process of transforming phosphocreatine. Phosphocreatine stores energy to regenerate the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecule. It also converts ATP to ADP. Preparation needed? Limit exercise and strenuous activities before the CK test as muscle strain can temporarily increase the CK levels in the blood. Fasting required? No
Why get tested? The D-Dimer test measures the amount of D-Dimer protein in the body. This protein forms when a clot of blood dissolves in the body. Hence, the D-Dimer test helps to diagnose many types of blood clotting disorders. A blood clot disorder causes the clot to form in the absence of an injury or stops it from dissolving in the blood when it should. What is being tested? The main component of the blood clot is the fibrin protein, which links with each other to form a net of fibrin. The fibrin and platelets then keep the blood clot fixed on the site of the wound until it recovers. The clot formed on the wound is called thrombosis. Once the injured area heals, the plasmin enzyme starts to break the thrombus into small fragments. These fragments of the thrombin are called fibrin degradation products (FDP). FDP consists of different sizes of fragments of crosslinked fibrin. One of these fragments of thrombin is called D-Dimer which is a protein in nature. The amount of the D-dimer increases markedly when there is a notable breakdown and formation of the clots of fibrin in the body. Preparation needed? No Fasting Required? No
Why get tested?DHEA is a useful hormone in the body and it serves to synthesize further hormones in men and women. Excessive DHEA-S is harmful for women’s health and it may cause PCOS. High DHEA-S levels appear in Cushing’s disease and cancer, whereas DHEA-S levels are low in the situation of diabetes, dementia, Addision’s disease, cardiovascular disease, AIDS, and lupus. What is being tested?DHEA-S hormone is synthesized by the adrenal glands and its cortex region is the part involved in the process. It is an androgen (male hormone) but it has to be present in a certain quantity in females too.Preparation needed?Before getting the DHEA-S test, you need to inform the healthcare practitioner if you consume any of these drugs. Specific antidiabetic drugs also tend to raise DHEA-S levels. These include prolactin, nicotine, calcium channel blockers, and danazol. Antidiabetic medications and athletic performance drugs also consist of DHEA. A specific preparation is not required for the DHEA-S test. Fasting required?No