It is that often dreaded but necessary time of the year when you roll up your sleeves, clench your fist and brace for that prick that will facilitate the drawing of vial after vial of your blood.
During annual medical checkups, the doctor will conduct a physical examination to ensure everything is okay, measure your height and weight, take your blood pressure, examine your skin and perform a dental analysis.
However, annual checkups are never complete without blood tests.
Blood tests provide a comprehensive overview of your overall health. David Muguku, a consultant physician at the Waterfront Clinic, says they are an effective way of catching disease or illness early, improving the treatment outcome.
"Initially, before the age of 40, people didn't need to worry about many diseases, but today, from the age of 30, there are certain things that we should follow up every year so that we can intervene early," says Dr Muguku, attributing the lifestyle and dietary changes.
Blood tests can detect markers for various health conditions such as diabetes, HIV, anaemia, cancer, and coronary heart disease.
"This can give them a picture of your overall health and help them diagnose different diseases, monitor chronic conditions, assess your organ function and determine the strength of your immune system," says Dr Muguku.
James Sitoni, a family physician, recommends a complete blood count but adds that whether you need one depends on your situation and overall health.
"In general, healthcare providers recommend tests based on a number of factors, including age, gender, medical history and lifestyle. For example, if you are overweight, your healthcare provider may recommend regular blood glucose testing," explains Dr Sitoni.
Below are the three blood tests that are important for your health.
1. Complete Blood Count
A complete blood count is a standard blood test that is usually done at your annual checkup. This test gives a detailed picture of the different components in your blood, including your red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, haemoglobin and haematocrit.
The levels of these components can be used to detect potential nutritional deficiencies such as vitamin B6 or B12 anaemia (iron deficiency), blood clotting problems, blood cancers, infections and immune system disorders. Your doctor can identify abnormalities by analysing your blood count and recommend appropriate treatment or further testing.
“If you’re not of reproductive age, it’s not necessary. If you are of reproductive age, you will be concerned about things like anaemia and infections. If you are over 40, having it once a year is good because you can also use it to screen for certain things,” says Dr Muguku.
2. Thyroid test
The thyroid is a small gland in the middle of the neck that plays a vital role in maintaining bodily functions, energy levels, mood and metabolism.
According to Dr Muguka, a TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) test can detect thyroid dysfunction, which can present as either hyperthyroidism (overactivity) or hypothyroidism (underactivity).
Although treatable and rarely life-threatening, thyroid imbalance can affect every organ system and cause a range of symptoms, including weight changes, fatigue and sleep problems.
Who should have one?
“We don’t screen everyone unless there’s a reason to do so. If you are hypothyroid or hyperthyroid, and based on the history you give us, we start looking for the cause. It’s based on the symptoms. We don’t encourage everyone to have a thyroid test unless there’s a reason,” says Dr Muguku.
3.Haemoglobin A1C
The A1C test measures your average blood glucose levels, which can be a valuable tool in diagnosing diabetes and prediabetes. Based on your risk profile, this test can help guide early interventions, such as weight loss, dietary changes or medication.
The higher your A1C, the higher your estimated blood glucose level. An elevated A1C may indicate that your body is not producing enough insulin, or that your insulin is not working effectively enough to move glucose from the blood into your cells. This is a sign of prediabetes or diabetes.
“If it is not checked early, people will have a heart attack or stroke,” says Dr Muguku.
Besides the three, many sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can be diagnosed by blood tests, often combined with urine samples or swabs of infected tissue for a more accurate diagnosis. Blood tests can diagnose STIs such as herpes, HIV, syphilis and hepatitis C.
However, it’s important to note that blood tests aren’t always accurate immediately after infection. For example, if you have HIV, you may need to wait at least a month before a blood test can detect the virus.
Minding unnecessary testing
Regular blood tests are important for monitoring your overall health. However, Dr Muguku advises against unnecessary testing to reduce healthcare costs and avoid unnecessary stress caused by negative results.
“For example, if you think you have pancreatic cancer, you should not be tested for it. Instead, you should go to your doctor and explain your symptoms because we do not have an appropriate test. For breast cancer, we will ask you to do tests, mammogram, pap smear for cervical cancer, for bowel cancer, we look for blood in the stool,” says Dr Muguku.
“If you are under 20, there is usually little to test for. As long as you have been healthy, a routine checkup to ensure you are okay is enough. Unless you have a history of chronic illness, from 30, you should see a doctor,” he adds.
Consult your doctor
Whatever the situation, it is crucial to have a thorough discussion with your healthcare provider about any new symptoms or health problems you are experiencing and any new information about your family history.
“This will help your doctor determine if there are any additional tests that should be ordered beyond the standard ones,” he says.
