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Understanding your Labs: The LFT
The LFT has several names. It stands for "Liver Function Tests," but this routine blood test is also known as a "Hepatic Function Panel." LFT's are performed by a laboratory on a sample of the patient's blood, collected by a laboratory technician, nurse, or physician.
The tests are run from the liquid portion of the blood, called plasma. The medical professional collecting the blood sample will draw blood from the patient's veins into a special tube. This gold or speckle top tube will be spun in a machine called a centrifuge in order to separate the whole blood into its different parts-- blood cells and plasma.
As the name indicates, LFT's are a panel of tests that check for various liver functions such as liver enzyme levels and liver inflammation. These tests are important to physicians who are taking care of patients who are taking certain medications (like aspirin), experiencing symptoms like jaundice or hepatitis, or are alcoholics. LFT's may be ordered for any patients with conditions that indicate any effects on the liver.
What tests are performed in an LFT?
Alkaline Phosphatase is one test in the hepatic function panel that helps determine the amount of bile that the liver is producing. Increased levels of bile particles can appear in the blood is the flow of bile is somehow impeded. Results in this test can prompt the physician to refer the patient to a specialist for further evaluation
ALT and AST are liver enzyme tests. Increases in liver enzymes in the blood indicates liver damage. Further tests, such as an ultrasound, can be performed after a patient receives a result that may indicate liver damage in order for the physician to declare a diagnosis.
Bilirubin is another substance in the blood that can indicate liver problems. Elevated bilirubin levels in the blood can help determine if the patient has blockage in the liver bile ducts, or even help monitor the progression of liver diseases like hepatitis.
It is important to visit your clinic or urgent care's laboratory for routine lab work follow ups. Only your physician can diagnose a liver problem via abnormal LFT results.
The tests are run from the liquid portion of the blood, called plasma. The medical professional collecting the blood sample will draw blood from the patient's veins into a special tube. This gold or speckle top tube will be spun in a machine called a centrifuge in order to separate the whole blood into its different parts-- blood cells and plasma.
As the name indicates, LFT's are a panel of tests that check for various liver functions such as liver enzyme levels and liver inflammation. These tests are important to physicians who are taking care of patients who are taking certain medications (like aspirin), experiencing symptoms like jaundice or hepatitis, or are alcoholics. LFT's may be ordered for any patients with conditions that indicate any effects on the liver.
What tests are performed in an LFT?
Alkaline Phosphatase is one test in the hepatic function panel that helps determine the amount of bile that the liver is producing. Increased levels of bile particles can appear in the blood is the flow of bile is somehow impeded. Results in this test can prompt the physician to refer the patient to a specialist for further evaluation
ALT and AST are liver enzyme tests. Increases in liver enzymes in the blood indicates liver damage. Further tests, such as an ultrasound, can be performed after a patient receives a result that may indicate liver damage in order for the physician to declare a diagnosis.
Bilirubin is another substance in the blood that can indicate liver problems. Elevated bilirubin levels in the blood can help determine if the patient has blockage in the liver bile ducts, or even help monitor the progression of liver diseases like hepatitis.
It is important to visit your clinic or urgent care's laboratory for routine lab work follow ups. Only your physician can diagnose a liver problem via abnormal LFT results.
What is a corneal abrasion?
A corneal abrasion refers to a scratch on the eyeball. It is usually very painful and will affect vision for several days or weeks until it heals.
A corneal abrasion can occur from simple exposures such as working in the garage, gardening, or standing in a workshop. Many times a small piece of dust, wood, rust, or metal may become airborne and land in the eye itself. The natural reaction is to rub the eye or to flush it out with water or sailne. During this process, the cornea, which is the external part of the eyeball, will become scratched.
The pain from a corneal abrasion is very severe. Patients have difficulty opening their eyes fully because light and wind will irritate them. The muscles of the eyes are circular and they will clamp down, causing symptoms such as headaches, eye tearing, and runny nose. People with corneal abrasions have a very difficult time reading, watching television, or driving safely.
The only way to diagnose a corneal abrasion is with a special eye exam performed by your doctor. Your physician will instill a few drops of alkcaine tetracaine which is a numbing medication. The doctor will then use a special fluorescein dye and ultraviolet light to diagnose exactly where the corneal abrasion is located.
On average, it takes three or four weeks for the corneal abrasion to fully heal because the eye has a special type of skin lining. You will be advised to use special eyedrops, painkillers, and have close follow-up with an eye specialist. In general, most people heal very well without permanent problems from a corneal abrasion.
If you have any concerns that you scratched your eye and have a corneal abrasion, always talk with your doctor or go to an urgent care right away. West Oaks urgent care is open seven days a week to help you diagnose this condition.
A corneal abrasion can occur from simple exposures such as working in the garage, gardening, or standing in a workshop. Many times a small piece of dust, wood, rust, or metal may become airborne and land in the eye itself. The natural reaction is to rub the eye or to flush it out with water or sailne. During this process, the cornea, which is the external part of the eyeball, will become scratched.
The pain from a corneal abrasion is very severe. Patients have difficulty opening their eyes fully because light and wind will irritate them. The muscles of the eyes are circular and they will clamp down, causing symptoms such as headaches, eye tearing, and runny nose. People with corneal abrasions have a very difficult time reading, watching television, or driving safely.
The only way to diagnose a corneal abrasion is with a special eye exam performed by your doctor. Your physician will instill a few drops of alkcaine tetracaine which is a numbing medication. The doctor will then use a special fluorescein dye and ultraviolet light to diagnose exactly where the corneal abrasion is located.
On average, it takes three or four weeks for the corneal abrasion to fully heal because the eye has a special type of skin lining. You will be advised to use special eyedrops, painkillers, and have close follow-up with an eye specialist. In general, most people heal very well without permanent problems from a corneal abrasion.
If you have any concerns that you scratched your eye and have a corneal abrasion, always talk with your doctor or go to an urgent care right away. West Oaks urgent care is open seven days a week to help you diagnose this condition.
What is Mycoplasma pneumonia?
Mycoplasma is a
bacteria that can cause pneumonia in healthy young people. The
symptoms initially are very mild and may include fever, headache,
runny nose, cough, or general fatigue. However, the symptoms will
last for three or four weeks without improvement despite
over-the-counter treatments.
Typically people are sick, but they continue to go to work and school because of their schedules. Therefore, it may be called walking pneumonia.
Mycoplasma is a microscopic organism and is very common in the fall and winter months when children and teenagers go back to school. It is easily spread from coughing and sneezing by people in schools, dorms, colleges, and military bases.
Once a person is
infected, the symptoms will continue for a prolonged period of time
until they become tired of coughing. Many people have body aches or
rib pain due to their muscles being stretched out.
Your doctor may decide to do a chest x-ray or basic lab work to diagnose the condition. Fortunately, the treatment is usually curative in most cases. Zithromax is one of the more common antibiotics that your doctor may consider. A patient may also need an inhaler if they have wheezing.
Talk with your doctor today if you have concerns about Mycoplasma pneumonia. West Oaks urgent care is open seven days a week to help diagnose this condition.
Why is Gardasil important?
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Gardasil is a vaccine that was approved by the FDA in 2006. Gardasil provides protection against four different strains of the human papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV. Those strains include 6, 11, 16, and 18. This is significant because two of these strains are responsible for approximately 75% of cervical cancers. In addition to preventing cervical cancer, the vaccination also provides protection against 90% of genital warts cases.
In order to better understand why Gardasil is so important, we must first examine the prevalence of HPV. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV is currently the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. It is estimated that as many as 20 million Americans currently have HPV and there may be as many as 6 million additional cases each year.
In many of these cases, people may be unaware that they have been infected and are spreading the virus to others through sexual contact. The virus may resolve on its own, but unlike other sexually transmitted infections, HPV may also lead to several types of cancer including: cervical, vulvar, vaginal, penile, anal, and oropharyngeal.
Gardasil has the potential to and protect people from contracting this deadly virus, especially adolescents that are virgins. This is the reason that the current recommendation for the HPV vaccination begins at such a young age. Currently the CDC recommends that male and female adolescents begin the vaccination series between 11-12 years of age, with catch up vaccinations between 13-26 for females and 13-21 for males.
The vaccination is a three part series with the second vaccination occurring 2 months after initial vaccination and then the third dose occurring 6 months after initial vaccination. Gardasil has proven to be a safe and effective vaccination.
According to the Vaccine Information Statement by the CDC, side effects are similar to any vaccination and may include redness and pain at injection site, fever, headache, or fainting. As with any vaccination, watch for serious allergic reaction. With risk of side effects being minimal and potential for protection so great, it is easy to see why this is a very important vaccination to consider.
Talk with your doctor today about the Gardasil vaccine.
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