CBC, Lipid Panels, and What These Tests Reveal About Your Health

CBC, Lipid Panels, and What These Tests Reveal About Your Health

In part one, we talked about CMP and what the markers on that test can indicate about your health. When you come in to have your bloodwork done, we will also take a look at your CBC and do a lipid panel. These two portions of your bloodwork can help diagnose and prevent leukemia, lymphoma, and other related conditions.

 

Complete Blood Count (CBC): What Does it Mean for Your Health?

Complete blood count can be used to check for cancers, infections, and other conditions. Your bone marrow produces red blood cells, so if you have a high red blood cell count, this could be a sign of leukemia or another related disease. White blood cell count increases when you are fighting an infection, so if your results come back with a high white blood cell count, we want to look and see what’s going on that could be causing your symptoms.

Understanding Your Lipid Panel Results: HDL vs LDL

The other thing we will look at when we test your blood is your good and bad cholesterol. HDL is good because it is the cholesterol that is on its way to your liver to be processed and removed from your body. LDL is a low-density, fluffy type of cholesterol that can get stuck in your arteries and lead to atherosclerotic plaque. We want your HDL to be high and your LDL to be low, but what we commonly see is the opposite. That’s why statin medications used to lower bad cholesterol are one of the most commonly prescribed drugs. Fortunately, there are ways you can lower bad cholesterol and raise your good cholesterol.

How to Lower Bad Cholesterol

The best way to lower bad cholesterol is to exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet. Eating a Mediterranean diet that includes fish oil and Omega-3 fatty acids can also help increase your HDL cholesterol. Getting a handle on your high cholesterol can significantly reduce your risk of having a cardiovascular event.

Tracking Your Results with the Atracare Health App

While you are doing these things, it’s important to track your cholesterol levels over time, so that’s why it’s important to get annual bloodwork. We run a 10-year risk summary for cardiovascular disease, and that tells us whether you need medication or if diet and exercise is enough. We also consider blood pressure and other risk factors when determining the likelihood that you will experience a cardiovascular event. When you get your bloodwork done, you will be able to download your scores and track them in the app to see how you are improving or declining over time.

Get Your Annual Bloodwork Done at Atracare Health

As your premier partner in health, we are here to provide you with the annual blood testing you need to stay healthy and track your overall health. Our number one goal is to keep the Lewes community safe and healthy, so be sure to make an appointment to get your annual bloodwork done at Atracare Health.

Contact your Primary Care doctor to learn more about bloodwork and schedule your appointment.

0 New comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News and Clinic Information

We are your partner in health. Stay up to date with latest news and information.

How to Support Children in Their Grief 

As anyone knows who has experienced a significant loss of a loved one, life changes after a loss, but you never forget. I have spoken to hundreds of people, kids, and adults, who think there is “something wrong with them” because they miss their loved ones and experience grief years after the loss. Grief is different for everyone, and loss is something we have after we have loved.

Read More

How Can We Feel More Comfortable Talking About Mental Health?

Mental Health has become a hot-button topic within media, politics, schools, and everyday life. However, with all the increased buzz about mental health, many articles, TikToks, and speeches forget to mention the facts surrounding mental health and how we can use positive language to help destigmatize it. 

Read More

Dr. Albanese Winner of Delaware Hall of Fame

The She’s On Her Way Award, organized by the Delaware Commission for Women, recognizes the achievements and celebrates the contributions of talented young women leaders making a difference in Delaware.

Read More