Short Biochemistry

More About Short Biochemistry

Glucose
Blood glucose levels are also known as blood sugar.
Test is required if there are symptoms suggesting hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose) or hypoglycemia, or if you are diabetic. Also requested during pregnancy.

Uric acid
Uric acid is produced by the breakdown of nitrogen-containing compounds found in the body in substances such as nucleic acids (DNA, RNA). They enter the circulation from digestion of certain foods, drinks (alcoholic beverages like beer and wine) or from normal breakdown and turnover of cells in the body. Most uric acid is removed by the kidneys and disposed of in the urine.
Excess uric acid can cause the condition called gout – an inflammation that occurs in joints when crystals derived from uric acid form in the joint fluid. Excess uric acid can also lead to kidney disease, as a result of deposition in the kidneys or kidney stone formation, as a result of increased urinary excretion.

Urea and Creatinine
Urea and Creatinine in blood or urine, test for normal kidney function; also utilised in monitoring treatment for kidney disease. They are a part of a basic metabolic panel.

Albumin, Globulin, Total Protein
Albumin, Globulin and Total Protein are used to screen for liver disonders and nutritional deficiencies. Their levels may also be altered in Kidney disease.

Total bilirubin
When red blood cells are broken down the pigment giving them their characteristic red colour, haemoglobin, (whose role is to carry oxygen to the tissues) is converted to unconjugated bilirubin. Only small amounts of bilirubin are normally present in the blood. In the liver, each unconjugated bilirubin molecule has a sugar molecule attached to it to form water soluble conjugated bilirubin. This is secreted into bile and carried to the intestine where bacteria break it down, eventually producing the brown pigment that colours normal stools. This metabolic process taking place in the liver is the reason that bilirubin can be used as a marker for liver disease such as cirrhosis.

Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)
Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme found in high levels in bone and liver.
This is the reason it is used to screen for or monitor, treatment for a liver or bone disorder and is part of the liver function test profile.

Gamma GT
Gamma GT is used to screen for liver disease or alcohol abuse; and to help your doctor tell whether a raised concentration of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the bloodstream is due to liver or bone disease.

Liver function tests
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), and bilirubin
These tests together as a group are refer to them as 'liver function tests'.
They detect liver damage or an inherited liver disorder.

Creatinine Kinase (CK)
Creatinine kinase serum levels are used to detect and monitor muscle damage and to help diagnose conditions associated with muscle damage. CK is an enzyme found in the heart, brain, skeletal muscle and other tissues. Increased amounts are released into the bloodstream when there is muscle damage.

Total Cholesterol
Total cholesterol and it’s sub groups HDL, LDL and Triglycerides (TG) are used in evaluating heart disease risk.
These tests are useful in the assessment of healthy individuals as well as in patients who have heart disease or have other risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure or diabetes. They are also used to monitor treatment with lipid lowering drugs.

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