What is a blood chemistry test?

Blood contains many different types of substances instead of just blood cells such as red and white blood cells. Blood chemistry tests are one of the most common tests performed to detect and identify a wide variety of medical conditions, and these are also basic to complex parameters that help doctors evaluate how well organ systems are functioning during general physicals and in-depth examinations.

The article was professionally consulted by MSc Do Thi Hoang Ha - Doctor of Biochemistry, Laboratory Department - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital. The doctor has 11 years of experience working in the field of clinical biochemistry.

A blood biochemistry test is a test with a blood specimen that measures the concentration of certain chemicals in a blood sample (which may include electrolytes, fats, proteins, glucose, etc.) . Blood chemistry tests provide important information about how well your kidneys, liver and other organs are working. Abnormal levels of substances in your blood can be a sign of disease or a side effect of treatment. sick. Blood chemistry tests are used to help diagnose and monitor many medical conditions before, during, and after treatment.
There are many different types of blood chemistry tests performed in clinical practice every day. However, depending on each situation, the doctor will specify which type of measurement is appropriate, avoiding unnecessary redundancy. In which, important and common biochemical substances are commonly indicated as liver enzymes, substances that evaluate the filtering capacity of the kidneys are creatinine, electrolytes, fats, sugars, proteins. Sometimes in specific conditions, the doctor will need to investigate the levels of hormones, vitamins and minerals.
In the field of medical testing, blood biochemical tests are performed very commonly, as a diagnostic and therapeutic aid, with the following important roles:
General assessment when General health examination Check the function of some organs such as kidney, liver Check the function of some endocrine glands such as thyroid gland, adrenal gland, genital system.. Check the balance of water and electrolytes in the body. extracellular environment Assists in the diagnosis of diseases and medical conditions As a basis for comparing future pathological progress or response to treatment.

For each patient who comes to the clinic, when appointing a blood biochemical test, the doctor has selected the biochemical indicators that need to be considered for measurement. With this indication, the nurse or laboratory technician will take a sufficient amount of blood from the patient at the vein in the hand. The specimen will be placed in a tube containing a suitable anticoagulant, labeled with the patient's identity (full name, date of birth, gender, unique PID number for each patient - patient identification). quickly bring to the laboratory for immediate testing. In the event that blood cannot be delivered to the laboratory, patient tubes should be stored under conditions suitable to the requirements of each type of specified test, to avoid the normal environment becoming a confounding factor. received results.
The whole process of blood biochemical testing is carried out closed by machines with specialized reagents, from the time the patient is inserted into the machine until the result is obtained (except for some tests that are manually manipulated). process). After the results are reviewed and approved by the laboratory, they will be returned to the original appointing doctor. The excess sample after completing the test will be disposed of as medical waste.
It should be noted that, some indications for blood chemistry tests require the patient not to eat or drink anything, except water, for a certain period of time before the test. In addition, some medications can also affect the results of biochemical blood tests. Therefore, patients need to be told these things before performing the test.

Blood biochemical tests are often performed in the evaluation of general physical examination and organ function exploration, pathological diagnosis includes:
Liver function The liver is the largest organ of the body, holding many plays an important role in the metabolism of substances (regulation of blood sugar, synthesis and degradation of lipids, exchange and deamination, generation and excretion of bile, endogenous detoxification..). Biochemical tests used to evaluate liver function measure how well the liver is working – where the key parameter for liver enzymes – enzymes that help the liver metabolize and demineralize – is alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). High levels of liver enzymes can be a sign of hepatitis or liver cell damage.
Other liver function tests measure levels of bilirubin - the product of the breakdown of hemoglobin from red blood cells. High levels of bilirubin can indicate liver problems (since 80% of the bilirubin in the blood is retained, metabolized, and excreted in the bile ducts by liver cells), so bilirubin metabolism disorders (bilirubin levels elevated in hepatocytes) will lead to reflux of bilirubin into the circulation and cause jaundice. In addition, blood urea, blood NH3, and blood albumin tests also help doctors assess your liver function.
Renal function Kidney is the main site of excretion of electrolytes and degradation products of protein and nucleic acids (urea, creatinine, uric acid ..) so biochemical tests of renal function are used to assessment of renal dysfunction and diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of kidney diseases. One of the important metabolic products for assessing renal function are blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine. From these numbers, the biochemist calculates an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) as well as clearance, which is a measure of how well the kidneys filter the blood. If there is any cause affecting the filtering function of the kidneys, these products will build up in the blood and manifest as elevated blood levels as indicated on the test results (beyond normal).
Electrolytes The electrolytes in the blood (including minerals and electrically charged fluids in the form of insoluble salts) play an important role in electrical activity on the membranes of cells, nerves, maintaining balance. homeostasis in the body, helping to regulate heart and nerve function, fluid balance, oxygen distribution, acid-base balance and many other functions, mainly consisting of bicarbonates, chlorides, potassium and sodium.
Electrolyte imbalance can be caused by overeating or reduced intake or elimination of essential electrolytes or water or by kidney problems or metabolic dysfunction of other organs.

Blood Glucose Glucose is the body's main source of energy, the cells in the body use glucose for energy during aerobic metabolism. Sources of glucose are obtained from food intake (exogenous carbohydrates - glucose) and the conversion of glycogen to glucose in the liver (endogenous metabolism). Under the influence and regulation of hormones that regulate glucose levels in the body, blood glucose levels will increase after meals and drop low between meals, but always ensure that blood glucose levels are kept at the same level. a certain concentration range. Therefore, to evaluate the blood sugar index accurately, the patient should be advised to fast for at least 8 to 12 hours before taking blood for testing.
If blood sugar is high, this could be a sign of diabetes or insulin resistance. However, the identification and diagnosis of these conditions should be based on at least two parameters as well as repeated evaluation, because diabetes treatment requires lifelong monitoring and adherence.
Blood lipids Blood lipids or lipids (the collective name for serum lipids, which include many different types) is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis, a major cause of important events. important in cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction or stroke. Therefore, early detection of dyslipidemia through increased levels of components and treatment are proven effective primary prevention.
Similar to blood glucose, blood lipid testing also requires the patient to fast for a certain period of time (at least 8 hours). At the same time, because the fat metabolism in the body involves different intermediate components, the types of cholesterol commonly indicated in clinical practice are total cholesterol (the most important component, present in most of the body's cholesterol). Most tissues and organs of the body, participate in building cell structures, producing hormones, operating brain functions, storing vitamins), Low-Density Cholesterol Lipoprotein (LDL), High-Density Cholesterol Lipoprotein ( (HDL) and triglycerides (because they are insoluble in water, cholesterol and fats such as triglycerides need to combine with proteins to become water-soluble lipoproteins to easily move in the blood) so these are the 4 main tests to assess the level of blood fat in your body.

Blood Protein Protein is an important component that plays a role in many functional activities of the body, provides information on nutritional problems and helps diagnose diseases in the liver, kidneys, blood clotting ... Any Any abnormal changes in blood protein levels mean that you have a problem with your health. Accordingly, blood protein results that are too high or too low need to be searched for the cause, helping doctors detect the disease at an early stage and suggest an accurate diagnosis.
Unlike blood glucose and blood lipid tests, blood protein tests have very little correlation with meals.

Blood chemistry test results are usually presented as digits with the corresponding concentration unit. In addition to the patient's results, the reference range of the normal population is also shown to assist in making a conclusion as to whether it is normal or abnormal. However, the conclusion of the results depends on a number of factors, including gender, age and previous medical history as well as the current medical condition. From there, the doctor will have a way to monitor the progress of the disease, evaluate the appropriate treatment.
In the event that the general practitioner receives an abnormal result, a repeat test is necessary. If the results received are abnormal, the patient should be referred to the right specialist, search for suspected diseases and initiate early treatment if any. Conversely, if the results are normal, these parameters should also be stored as reference values ​​for future visits.

Today, thanks to the level of education, the quality of life has been improved. Periodic health care and proactive disease prevention are becoming popular. Everyone has been empowered to have proactive access to their own health, and regular check-ups and health check-ups can sometimes help spot abnormalities that you might not have noticed yourself. From there, people will have an early diagnosis, help with early treatment of diseases as well as receive medical advice on a healthy lifestyle, reducing the risk of common diseases.
Because of the above benefits, with the goal of comprehensive health care, Vinmec International General Hospital System has launched general health checkup packages and performed paraclinical tests in accordance with each object. Customers will be directly taken by the doctor to take personal and family medical history, measure blood pressure, body mass index, physical examination, perform screening tests as well as advice in each situation.
With a team of professional, highly qualified and experienced doctors, modern facilities, advanced testing machinery system, the periodic health check-up at Vinmec deserves to be an address. Reliable, world-class quality medical care for everyone and every family.