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Life-Saving Blood Tests That Reveal Serious Health Conditions

Life-Saving Blood Tests That Reveal Serious Health Conditions

Blood work, also known as blood tests, is an integral part of a standard doctor’s visit to check how well your organs are functioning. It can also detect any nutritional deficiencies, and anemia, and can help diagnose many chronic conditions and diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. You may not realize it, but several life-saving blood tests can reveal serious health conditions.

Blood tests assess how well organs function and reveal abnormalities that typically warrant further specific testing. As Dr. Keith Hoots of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute explained, the first question after a blood test is “Is it accurate?”

Blood tests broadly screen for potential conditions that subsequent testing must confirm. They are part of a process going from general to more specific, Dr. Hoots added.

To identify life-saving blood tests that reveal serious health conditions, 24/7 Tempo conducted a review of various medical publications such as the Mayo Clinic, the U.S. National Library of Medicine, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration press announcements.

We chose conditions where blood tests either confirm the disorder or raise red flags prompting confirmation. Information on symptoms, confirming tests, and treatment came from Mayo Clinic and other sources. (See why the women and men in these countries live the longest.)

Here are life-saving blood tests that reveal serious health conditions:

1. Allergies

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  • Common symptoms: Sneezing, watery eyes, hives, rash
  • Confirmation tests: Allergy testing
  • Treatment: Medication, immunotherapy

2. Rheumatoid arthritis

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  • Common symptoms: Joint stiffness, fever, fatigue
  • Confirmation tests: Test for antibodies, imaging tests, additional blood tests
  • Treatment: Biologic agents, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, steroids

3. HIV

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  • Common symptoms: Rash, swollen lymph glands, fever, weight loss
  • Confirmation tests: ELISA test, saliva tests, viral load tests
  • Treatment: Protease inhibitors (PIs), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors

4. Pulmonary embolism

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  • Common symptoms: Shortness of breath, chest pain, cough
  • Confirmation tests: Chest X-ray, ultrasound, spiral CT scan

5. Diabetes

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  • Common symptoms: Slow-healing sores, extreme hunger, thirst
  • Confirmation tests: Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test, blood sugar test
  • Treatment: Insulin, monitoring blood sugar

6. Lyme disease

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  • Common symptoms: Rash
  • Confirmation tests: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test
  • Treatment: Antibiotics

7. Zika

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  • Common symptoms: Mild fever, rash, joint pain
  • Confirmation tests: Blood or urine test
  • Treatment: No antiviral treatment. No vaccine

8. Vitamin K deficiency

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  • Common symptoms: Excessive bleeding, dark stool
  • Confirmation tests: Coagulation test, or PT test
  • Treatment: Phytonadione supplement

9. Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)

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  • Common symptoms: Rapid heartbeat, sweating, increased appetite, sleeping problems
  • Confirmation tests: Physical exam, radioiodine uptake test, thyroid scan or ultrasound
  • Treatment: Radioactive iodine, beta-blockers, surgery

10. Lymphoma

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  • Common symptoms: Lymph swelling, fatigue, fever
  • Confirmation tests: Removing lymph for testing, physical exam
  • Treatment: Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, bone marrow transplant

11. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

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  • Common symptoms: Pain in leg, discolored skin, feeling of warmth
  • Confirmation tests: Ultrasounds, further blood tests, venography
  • Treatment: Blood thinners, clot busters, filters, compression stockings

12. Hepatitis A

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  • Common symptoms: Fatigue, sudden nausea, loss of appetite, dark urine
  • Confirmation tests: Blood sample
  • Treatment: No specific treatment; rest, nausea management

13. Lung cancer

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  • Common symptoms: Coughing up blood, chest pain, bone pain, headache
  • Confirmation tests: CT scan, tissue sample, imaging tests
  • Treatment: Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy

14. Gonorrhea

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  • Common symptoms: Painful urination, pain or swelling, discharge
  • Confirmation tests: Urine test, swab of affected area
  • Treatment: Antibiotics

15. Dehydration

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  • Common symptoms: Thirst, sunken eyes, listlessness
  • Confirmation tests: Additional blood tests, urinalysis
  • Treatment: Electrolytes, intravenous fluids

16. Paget’s disease

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  • Common symptoms: Flaky skin on nipple, redness, lumps
  • Confirmation tests: Physical exam, breast biopsy, sentinel lymph biopsy
  • Treatment: Simple mastectomy, lumpectomy

17. Osteoporosis

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  • Common symptoms: Back pain, weight loss
  • Confirmation tests: Bone density measurement, X-rays
  • Treatment: Bisphosphonates, hormone-related therapy

18. Concussion

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  • Common symptoms: Confusion, nausea, slurred speech
  • Confirmation tests: Neurological examination, review of medical history
  • Treatment: Limit physical activity and reading

19. Colorectal cancer

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  • Common symptoms: Rectal bleeding, weight loss, weakness
  • Confirmation tests: Colonoscopy, further blood tests
  • Treatment: Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy

20. Influenza

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  • Common symptoms: Fever, headache, sore throat
  • Confirmation tests: Physical exam, polymerase chain reaction testing
  • Treatment: Liquids, fluids, pain medication

21. Coronary heart disease

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  • Common symptoms: Chest pain, shortness of breath, heart attack
  • Confirmation tests: Electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram, stress test
  • Treatment: Beta-blockers, bypass surgery, stent placement

22. Liver problems

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  • Common symptoms: Jaundice, abdominal pain, itchy skin, dark urine, loss of appetite
  • Confirmation tests: Additional blood tests, imaging tests, tissue analysis
  • Treatment: Lifestyle modification, liver transplant

23. Gilbert’s syndrome

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  • Common symptoms: Yellow skin
  • Confirmation tests: Complete blood count, liver function tests
  • Treatment: None, disease usually resolves itself

24. Hepatitis C

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  • Common symptoms: Bleeding and bruising, swelling, confusion
  • Confirmation tests: Genotype test, viral load test, additional blood tests
  • Treatment: Antiviral medications, liver transplantation

25. Ovarian cancer

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  • Common symptoms: Pelvic area discomfort, weight loss, bloating
  • Confirmation tests: Pelvic exam, imaging tests, additional blood tests, surgery
  • Treatment: Targeted therapy drugs, chemotherapy, surgery

26. Hormone imbalances

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  • Common symptoms: Weight gain, fatigue, increased sensitivity to cold or heat, muscle aches
  • Confirmation tests: Pelvic exam, ultrasound
  • Treatment: Hormone therapy

27. Chronic kidney disease

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  • Common symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, sleep problems
  • Confirmation tests: Urine tests, imaging tests, kidney biopsy
  • Treatment: Blood pressure, anemia, cholesterol, swelling, medications

28. Breast cancer

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  • Common symptoms: Breast lump, redness of breast skin, change of shape of breast
  • Confirmation tests: Mammogram, breast ultrasound, biopsy
  • Treatment: Lumpectomy, mastectomy, radiation, chemotherapy

29. Cirrhosis

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  • Common symptoms: Fatigue, itchy skin, jaundice
  • Confirmation tests: Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), biopsy
  • Treatment: Treatment for alcohol dependency, liver transplant surgery

30. Pregnancy

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  • Common symptoms: Nausea, late period, increased urination
  • Confirmation tests: Blood test, MRI
  • Treatment: Consult physician

31. Ebola

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  • Common symptoms: Fever and chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
  • Confirmation tests: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test
  • Treatment: Fluid and blood replacement, hospital care

32. Syphilis

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  • Common symptoms: Gеnital rash, hair loss, muscle aches
  • Confirmation tests: Further blood tests, spinal tap
  • Treatment: Antibiotics (usually penicillin)

33. Lupus

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  • Common symptoms: Facial rash, fever, fatigue, joint pain
  • Confirmation tests: Further blood and urine tests, chest x-ray, echocardiogram
  • Treatment: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, immunosuppressants

34. Excessive alcohol use

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  • Common symptoms: Memory loss, poor coordination, isolation, alcohol withdrawal
  • Confirmation tests: Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin blood test, DSM-5 diagnosis
  • Treatment: Behavioral treatments, medication, mutual-support groups

35. Menopause

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  • Common symptoms: Hot flashes, night sweats, irregular periods, weight gain
  • Confirmation tests: Review of symptoms, menstrual cycle tracking
  • Treatment: OTC vaginal lubricants, improved diet, hormone replacement therapy

36. Herpes

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  • Common symptoms: Sores and ulcers on gеnitals
  • Confirmation tests: Viral culture, polymerase chain reaction, additional blood tests
  • Treatment: No cure, medication for symptoms

37. Mononucleosis

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  • Common symptoms: Swollen tonsils, fatigue, fever
  • Confirmation tests: Antibody tests, white blood cell count
  • Treatment: No treatment available

38. Leukemia

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  • Common symptoms: Bone pain, weight loss, nose bleed recurrent
  • Confirmation tests: Coagulation panel blood test, bone marrow aspiration
  • Treatment: Stem cell transplant, radiation, biological therapy

39. Early-onset Alzheimer’s

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  • Common symptoms: Memory loss, depression, loss of inhibitions
  • Confirmation tests: Physical tests, neurological tests, further blood tests, brain imaging
  • Treatment: Cholinesterase inhibitors, Memantine

40. Stomach cancer

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  • Common symptoms: Fatigue, bloated feeling, heartburn, stomach pain
  • Confirmation tests: Upper endoscopy, imaging tests
  • Treatment: Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted drugs

41. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)

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  • Common symptoms: Weight gain, sensitivity to cold, thinning hair, depression, enlarged thyroid
  • Confirmation tests: Thyroid panel blood test
  • Treatment: Hormone therapy

42. Hemophilia

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  • Common symptoms: Excessive bleeding, deep bruising, bloody stool
  • Confirmation tests: Coagulation panel blood test
  • Treatment: Replacement therapy, desmopressin hormone, clot-preserving medication, physical therapy

43. Hepatitis B

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  • Common symptoms: Abdominal pain, dark urine, joint pain, jaundice
  • Confirmation tests: Further blood tests, transient elastography, liver biopsy
  • Treatment: Rest, antiviral medication, interferon injection, liver transplant

44. Liver cancer

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  • Common symptoms: Weight loss, abdominal pain, jaundice, white stools
  • Confirmation tests: Imaging tests, liver biopsy
  • Treatment: Surgery, liver transplant, radiation therapy, targeted drug therapy, chemotherapy

45. Chlamydia

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  • Common symptoms: Painful urination, abdominal pain, vaginal or penile discharge
  • Confirmation tests: Urine test, swab test
  • Treatment: Antibiotics

46. Pancreatitis

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  • Common symptoms: Abdominal pain, fever, rapid pulse
  • Confirmation tests: Stool test, CT scan, ultrasound, MRI
  • Treatment: Fasting, pain medication, IV fluids

47. Cholecystitis (gallbladder Inflammation)

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  • Common symptoms: Severe abdominal pain, nausea, fever
  • Confirmation tests: Imaging tests, hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan
  • Treatment: Fasting, IV fluids, antibiotics, pain medication, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

48. Anemia

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  • Common symptoms: Weakness, pale skin, irregular heartbeat, chest pain, cold hands and feet
  • Confirmation tests: Complete blood count test
  • Treatment: Nutritional supplements, blood transfusion

49. Multiple myeloma

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  • Common symptoms: Bone pain, nausea, constipation, excessive thirst, weakness in legs
  • Confirmation tests: Blood test, urine test, bone marrow aspiration, imaging tests
  • Treatment: Drug treatment, chemotherapy, corticosteroids, bone marrow transplant, radiation therapy

50. Tuberculosis

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  • Common symptoms: Excessive coughing, coughing up blood, chest pain, weight loss
  • Confirmation tests: Skin test, blood test, imaging tests, sputum tests
  • Treatment: Medication

Detailed Findings & Methodology

Hematology– the study of blood — has improved dramatically in recent years. In the past two years alone, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved blood tests that can detect signs of concussion, menopause, and the Ebola virus.

One of the most commonly ordered blood tests is a complete blood count, which measures different blood cell levels and can help detect warning signs for conditions like anemia, infections, blood cancers, and immune system disorders. Another common test is the coagulation panel, which measures blood clots and can help diagnose leukemia, hemophilia, and thrombosis.

The basic metabolic panel is a group of tests that measure different chemicals in the blood and can give doctors information about blood sugar levels, bones, and heart, kidneys, and liver functions. Another common test is the lipoprotein panel, which tests such substances in the blood as cholesterol and can help show the risk for coronary heart disease. There are many more tests that are used when doctors need to investigate further.

To identify life-saving blood tests that reveal serious health conditions, 24/7 Tempo conducted a review of various medical publications such as the nonprofit Mayo Clinic, the U.S. National Library of Medicine, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration press announcements.

We chose conditions for which blood tests can either confirm the presence of the disorder or help identify warning signs that prompt further confirming tests. Information on symptoms, confirming tests, and treatment came from the Mayo Clinic and other sources.

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