Your blood is a little like a liquid chemistry set. Along with oxygen, it contains proteins, minerals, hormones, and a long list of chemicals. Your body usually does a good job balancing all these things.

But sometimes you can have too much of a mineral or chemical -- or too little. This can trigger reactions in your body, some of which can cause serious health problems.

If your doctor thinks you have such a chemical imbalance in your blood, she may recommend that you get a serum osmolality test.

Osmolality refers to the concentration of dissolved particles of chemicals and minerals -- such as sodium and other electrolytes -- in your serum. Higher osmolality means more particles in your serum. Lower osmolality means they're more diluted.

A serum osmolality test is a way to check the fluid-to-particle balance in your body. It can help your doctor diagnose several possible conditions. You may also hear it called an osmolality serum test. Serum is the fluid in your veins and arteries minus the blood cells. So you will have blood taken anytime you get a serum test.

Why Would I Get One?
The main reason to get this test is if you're showing signs of dehydrationor other problems related to your fluid levels. The main one is hyponatremia. This condition happens when your sodium levels are too low and your body starts retaining fluid.

Sodium is one of the major electrolytes in your bloodstream. (Others include magnesium and potassium.) Electrolytes are chemicals that help cells absorb nutrients and get rid of waste products, among other important functions. One of sodium's other main jobs is to balance water levels inside cells and throughout your body.

You may also have a serum osmolality test if you have a problem with antidiuretic hormone (ADH). ADH helps your body retain water rather than losing it when you pee.When your body makes more ADH, your kidneys make less urine. Your urine then becomes very concentrated. A rise in osmolality causes your body to make more ADH. If your osmolality is lower, you'll have less ADH.

Too much or too little ADH can cause health problems. One reaction to low sodium levels is a seizure. If you have seizures or noticeable changes in your urine or how often you pee, your doctor may recommend that you get a serum osmolality test.

How Is It Done?
You don't need to do anything special before the test. But there are a couple of things your doctor will want to know:

All of the medicines and supplements you take
Whether you've been drinking a lot of water
Your doctor or another health care professional will take a small sample of blood from a vein in your arm. It takes only a few minutes and it shouldn't hurt, apart from the needle prick. You'll get a bandage on your skin afterward.

There is a slight chance of bleeding, bruising, or infection at the site where the blood is drawn. Some people get a little lightheaded during a blood test, but this is temporary.

What the Results Mean
You may get your serum osmolality test results back within an hour or possibly 24 hours.

Your results will be measured in milliosmoles per kilogram (mOsm/kg). What's important for you to know are the numbers:

For adults, the normal result range is between 285 and 295.
For children, it's between 275 and 290.
A result higher than the normal range could point to one of these conditions:

Hypernatremia (too much sodium)
Diabetes insipidus (the kidneys make too much urine)
Dehydration (low fluid levels throughout the body)
Uremia (too much urea and other waste products in the blood)
Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
Ingestion of a toxic substance (ethanol and other alcohols)
Diabetic ketoacidosis

A result lower than the normal range means you could have one of these conditions:

Hyponatremia (too little sodium)
Overhydration (too much fluid retained in the body)

What are other Names for this Test? (Equivalent Terms)
Hexosaminidase A and B Levels Blood Test
Hexosaminidase A and Hexosaminidase B Levels Blood Test
Total Hexosaminidase Levels Blood Test

What is Hexosaminidase Levels Blood Test? (Background Information)
Hexosaminidase is a group of enzymes, made up of hexosaminidase A and hexosaminidase B, which breaks down a type of fat called ganglioside. Hexosaminidases are found in the brain, where the majority of gangliosides reside
Problems with hexosaminidase A leads to the accumulation of gangliosides in neural cells, which causes these cells to swell, greatly interfering with their function. This results in the symptoms of Tay-Sachs disease
Sandhoff's disease is a type of Tay-Sachs disease that progresses much faster than Tay-Sachs disease. It results from problems with both hexosaminidases A and B
The instructions for making hexosaminidase A and hexosaminidase B enzymes reside on the genetic blueprint. Mutations in the genes associated with hexosaminidase A and B leads to defective hexosaminidase production, which causes Tay-Sachs disease and Sandhoff's disease
The Hexosaminidase Levels Blood Test helps determine the levels of hexosaminidases A and B in blood. It is used to diagnose Tay-Sachs disease and Sandhoff's disease

What are the Clinical Indications for performing the Hexosaminidase Levels Blood Test?
Following are the clinical indications for performing the Hexosaminidase Levels Blood Test:
Family history of Tay Sachs disease or Sandhoff's disease
Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry
Mental development problems
Muscular weakness
Blindness


How is the Specimen Collected for the Hexosaminidase Levels Blood Test
Following is the specimen collection process for Hexosaminidase Levels Blood Test:
Sample required: Blood
Process of obtaining blood sample in adults:
A band is wrapped around the arm, 3-4 inches above the collection site (superficial vein that lies within the elbow pit)
The site is cleaned with 70% alcohol in an outward spiral, away from the zone of needle insertion


The needle cap is removed and is held in line with the vein, pulling the skin tight
With a small and quick thrust, the vein is penetrated using the needle
The required amount of blood sample is collected by pulling the plunger of the syringe out slowly
The wrap band is removed, gauze is placed on the collection site, and the needle is removed
The blood is immediately transferred into the blood container, which has the appropriate preservative/clot activator/anti-coagulant
The syringe and the needle are disposed into the appropriate sharp container for safe and hygienic disposal
Preparation required: No special preparation is needed prior to the test.

What is the Significance of the Hexosaminidase Levels Blood Test Result?
A low percentage (less than 55%) of hexosaminidase A may indicate Tay-Sachs disease
A low amount (less than 5 units/l) of total hexosaminidase may indicate Sandhoff's disease
The laboratory test results are NOT to be interpreted as results of a "stand-alone" test. The test results have to be interpreted after correlating with suitable clinical findings and additional supplemental tests/information. Your healthcare providers will explain the meaning of your tests results, based on the overall clinical scenario.

Additional and Relevant Useful Information:
Certain factors, such as pregnancy, interfere with the results of the Hexosaminidase Levels Blood Test. Hence, most laboratories do not perform the test on pregnant women
Certain medications that you may be currently taking may influence the outcome of the test. Hence, it is important to inform your healthcare provider of the complete list of medications (including any herbal supplements) you are currently taking. This will help the healthcare provider interpret your test results more accurately and avoid unnecessary chances of a misdiagnosis.

Blood sugar test

A blood sugar test measures the amount of a sugar called glucose in a sample of your blood.
Glucose is a major source of energy for most cells of the body, including brain cells. Glucose is a building block for carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are found in fruit, cereal, bread, pasta, and rice. Carbohydrates are quickly turned into glucose in your body. This can raise your blood glucose level.
Hormones made in the body help control blood glucose level.

How the Test is Performed?
A blood sample is needed.

How to Prepare for the Test?
The test may be done in the following ways:
After you have not eaten anything for at least 8 hours (fasting)
At any time of the day (random)
Two hours after you drink a certain amount of glucose (oral glucose tolerance test)

How the Test will Feel?
When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or slight bruising. This soon goes away.

Why the Test is Performed?
Your doctor may order this test if you have signs of diabetes. More than likely, the doctor will order a fasting blood sugar test.
The blood glucose test is also used to monitor people who already have diabetes.
The test may also be done if you have:
An increase in how often you need to urinate
Recently gained a lot of weight
Blurred vision
Confusion or a change in the way you normally talk or behave
Fainting spells
Seizures (for the first time)
Unconsciousness or coma

SCREENING FOR DIABETES

This test may also be used to screen a person for diabetes.
High blood sugar and diabetes may not cause symptoms in the early stages. A fasting blood sugar test is almost always done to screen for diabetes.
If you are over age 45, you should be tested every 3 years.
If you're overweight (body mass index, or BMI, of 25 or higher) and have any of the risk factors below, ask your health care provider about getting tested at an earlier age and more often:
High blood sugar level on a previous test
Blood pressure of 140/90 mm Hg or higher, or unhealthy cholesterol levels
History of heart disease
Member of a high-risk ethnic group (African American, Latino, Native American, Asian American, or Pacific Islander)
Woman who has been diagnosed with gestational diabetes
Polycystic ovary disease (condition in which a woman has an imbalance of female sex hormones causing cysts in the ovaries)
Close relative with diabetes (such as a parent, brother, or sister)
Not physically active
Children age 10 and older who are overweight and have at least two of the risk factors listed above should be tested for type 2 diabetes every 3 years, even if they have no symptoms.

Normal Results
If you had a fasting blood glucose test, a level between 70 and 100 mg/dL (3.9 and 5.6 mmol/L) is considered normal.
If you had a random blood glucose test, a normal result depends on when you last ate. Most of the time, the blood glucose level will be below 125 mg/dL (6.9 mmol/L).
The examples above show the common measurements for results of these tests. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or may test different specimens. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.

What Abnormal Results Mean:
If you had a fasting blood glucose test:
A level of 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) means you have impaired fasting glucose, a type of prediabetes. This increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
A level of 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) and higher usually means you have diabetes.
If you had a random blood glucose test:
A level of 200 mg/dL (11 mmol/L) or higher often means you have diabetes.
Your provider will order a fasting blood glucose, A1C test, or glucose tolerance test, depending on your random blood glucose test result.
In someone who has diabetes, an abnormal result on the random blood glucose test may mean that the diabetes is not well controlled.
Other medical problems can also cause a higher-than-normal blood glucose level, including:

Overactive thyroid gland
Pancreatic cancer
Swelling and inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
Stress due to trauma, stroke, heart attack, or surgery
Rare tumors, including pheochromocytoma, acromegaly, Cushing syndrome, or glucagonoma
A lower-than-normal blood glucose level (hypoglycemia) may be due to:

Hypopituitarism (a pituitary gland disorder)
Underactive thyroid gland or adrenal gland
Tumor in the pancreas (insulinoma - very rare)
Too little food
Too much insulin or other diabetes medicines
Liver or kidney disease
Weight loss after weight loss surgery
Vigorous exercise
Some medicines can raise or lower your blood glucose level. Before having the test, tell your provider about all the medicines you are taking.

For some thin young women, a fasting blood sugar level below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) may be normal.

Risks:
There is little risk involved with having your blood taken.Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.

Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight, but may include:

Excessive bleeding
Fainting or feeling lightheaded
Multiple punctures to locate veins
Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
Alternative Names
Random blood sugar; Blood sugar level; Fasting blood sugar; Glucose test; Diabetic screening - blood sugar test; Diabetes - blood sugar test

What is an SGOT test?
The SGOT test is a blood test that's part of a liver profile. It measures one of two liver enzymes, called serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase. This enzyme is now usually called AST, which stands for aspartate aminotransferase. An SGOT test (or AST test) evaluates how much of the liver enzyme is in the blood.

Why it's used
A SGOT test may be used to help your doctor diagnose liver damage or liver disease. When liver cells are damaged, SGOT leaks into the blood stream, raising your blood's level of this enzyme.

The test may be used to evaluate liver health for people who are already known to have conditions that affect their liver, such as hepatitis C.

SGOT is found in several areas of your body, including your kidneys, muscles, heart, and brain. If any of these areas are damaged, your SGOT levels may be higher than normal. For example, the levels could be raised during a heart attack or if you've had a muscle injury.

Because SGOT appears throughout your body, part of the liver profile also includes an ALT test. ALT is the other essential liver enzyme. Unlike SGOT, it's found in heaviest concentrations in the liver. An ALT test is often a more definitive indicator of potential liver damage.

How to prepare for an SGOT test
The SGOT test is a simple blood test. It can technically be done without any special preparation. Still, there are a couple steps you can take to make the process easier.

Avoid taking any over-the-counter (OTC) medications, including acetaminophen (Tylenol), in the two days before your test. If you do take them, remember to tell your doctor. You should tell your doctor about all the medications you're taking before they administer the test so that they can account for them when reading the results.

Drink plenty of water the night before your test, too. Staying hydrated will make it easier for your technician to draw your blood. Make sure you wear something that allows your forearm preferably up to the elbow to be easily accessible for the technician to draw blood from.

What to expect during the procedure
The technician will call you back and have you sit down in a chair. They'll tie an elastic band tightly around your arm and search for a good vein to use. Then they'll clean the area before using a needle to draw blood from the vein.

It will only take them a minute to draw the blood into a small vial. After, they'll apply gauze to the area for a moment, remove the elastic band, and place a bandage on top. You'll be set to go.

You may have a small bruise for up to a week. Relaxing during the procedure as much as possible will prevent your muscles from tensing, which can cause pain during a blood draw.

The blood sample will later be processed by a machine. While it only takes a few hours to process the sample, it may take several days to get the results from your doctor.

powered by Rubicon Project
Risks associated with an SGOT test
There are very few risks to having an SGOT test. Make sure you're well hydrated the night before to help prevent episodes of feeling light-headed or faint. If you feel light-headed or faint following the procedure, let the technicians know. They'll let you stay sitting and may bring you water until you feel well enough to get up and go.

What the results mean
If the results of your SGOT test are high, that means one of the organs or muscles containing the enzyme could be damaged. These include your liver, but also the muscles, heart, brain, and kidneys. Your doctor may order follow-up tests to rule out another diagnosis.

The normal range of an SGOT test is generally between 8 and 45 units per liter of serum. In general, men may naturally have higher amounts of AST in the blood. A score above 50 for men and 45 for women is high and may indicate damage.

There may be some variation in the normal ranges depending on the technique the lab used. The exact range of the lab will be listed in the report of the results.

Extremely high levels of AST or ALT indicate conditions that cause severe liver damage. These conditions include:

acute viral hepatitis A or hepatitis B
shock, or collapse of the circulatory system
extensive liver damage that's likely caused by toxins, including an overdose of OTC medications like acetaminophen

Overview

A creatinine test reveals important information about your kidneys.
Creatinine is a chemical waste product that's produced by your muscle metabolism and to a smaller extent by eating meat. Healthy kidneys filter creatinine and other waste products from your blood. The filtered waste products leave your body in your urine.
If your kidneys aren't functioning properly, an increased level of creatinine may accumulate in your blood. A serum creatinine test measures the level of creatinine in your blood and provides an estimate of how well your kidneys filter (glomerular filtration rate). A creatinine urine test can measure creatinine in your urine.

Why it's done
A serum creatinine test which measures the level of creatinine in your blood can indicate whether your kidneys are working properly. How often you need creatinine tests depends on any underlying conditions and your risk of kidney damage. For example:
If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, your doctor may recommend a creatinine test at least once a year.
If you have kidney disease, your doctor may recommend creatinine tests at regular intervals to monitor your condition.
If you have an illness that may affect your kidneys such as high blood pressure or diabetes or you're taking medication that may affect your kidneys, your doctor may recommend creatinine tests.

How you prepare
The serum creatinine test is a common blood test. There is usually no preparation prior to the test. Your doctor may give you specific instructions.

What you can expect
During the serum creatinine test, a member of your health care team takes a sample of blood by inserting a needle into a vein in your arm. The blood sample is sent to a lab for analysis. You can return to your usual activities immediately.
In some cases, your doctor may measure the level of creatinine in your urine as well. For this test, part of a creatinine clearance test, your doctor may ask you to collect 24 hours' worth of urine in a special container and submit it for analysis. The urine creatinine test can help your doctor more accurately assess the presence or degree of kidney failure.

Results
Results of the creatinine blood test are measured in milligrams per deciliter or micromoles per liter. The normal range for creatinine in the blood may be 0.84 to 1.21 milligrams per deciliter (74.3 to 107 micromoles per liter), although this can vary from lab to lab, between men and women, and by age. Since the amount of creatinine in the blood increases with muscle mass, men usually have higher creatinine levels than do women.
Generally, a high serum creatinine level means that your kidneys aren't working well. Your creatinine level may temporarily increase if you're dehydrated, have a low blood volume, eat a large amount of meat or take certain medications. The dietary supplement creatine can have the same effect.
If your serum creatinine level is higher than normal, your doctor may want to confirm the results with another blood or urine test. If kidney damage is a concern, it's important to control any conditions that may be contributing to the damage. It's especially important to manage your blood pressure, which often requires medication. You can't undo permanent kidney damage, but with appropriate treatment you may be able to prevent further damage.