Cholesterol Levels Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that's found in your blood and every cell of your body. You need some cholesterol to keep your cells and organs healthy. Your liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs. But you can also get cholesterol from the foods you eat, especially meat, eggs, poultry, and dairy products. Foods that are high in dietary fat can also make your liver produce more cholesterol. Getting your cholesterol levels checked is an important part of staying healthy. High cholesterol increases your risk for heart disease and stroke, two leading causes of death in Kenya. Knowing your cholesterol status can help you stay in control of your health

Thyroxine (T4) Test A thyroxine test helps diagnose disorders of the thyroid. The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located near the throat. Your thyroid makes hormones that regulate the way your body uses energy. It also plays an important role in regulating your weight, body temperature, muscle strength, and even your mood. Thyroxine, also known as T4, is a type of thyroid hormone. This test measures the level of T4 in your blood. Too much or too little T4 can indicate thyroid disease. The T4 hormone comes in two forms: Free T4, which enters the body tissues where it's needed Bound T4, which attaches to proteins, preventing it from entering body tissues A test that measures both free and bound T4 is called a total T4 test. Other tests measure just free T4. A free T4 test is considered more accurate than a total T4 test for checking thyroid function. Other names: free thyroxine, free T4, total T4 concentration, thyroxine screen, free T4 concentration What is it used for? A T4 test is used to evaluate thyroid function and diagnose thyroid disease.

A stool culture is a test on a stool sample to find germs (such as bacteria or a fungus) that can cause an infection. A sample of stool is added to a substance that promotes the growth of germs. If no germs grow, the culture is negative. If germs can cause infection to grow, the culture is positive. The type of germ may be identified using a microscope or chemical tests. Sometimes other tests are done to find the right medicine for treating the infection. This is called sensitivity testing. Depending on what your stool is being tested for, you may only need to collect one stool sample. Or you may need several stool samples over a period of days. A stool culture is done to: Find the cause of the symptoms. It can help explain symptoms such as severe or bloody diarrhea or an increased amount of gas. It can also help find the cause of nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, bloating, belly pain and cramping, and fever. Find and identify certain types of organisms that are causing infections or diseases. These include food poisoning, inflammation of the large intestine (colitis), cholera, and typhoid. Identify a person who may not have any symptoms of disease but who carries bacteria that can spread the infection to others. This person is called a carrier. A person who is a carrier and who handles food is likely to infect others. Find out if treatment for an infection has worked as it should.

A creatinine test is a measure of how well your kidneys are performing their job of filtering waste from your blood. Useful in the evaluation of kidney function and in monitoring renal dialysis.

A stool analysis is a series of tests done on a stool (feces) sample to help diagnose certain conditions affecting the digestive tract. These conditions can include infection (such as from parasites, viruses, or bacteria), poor nutrient absorption, or cancer. For a stool analysis, a stool sample is collected in a clean container and then sent to the laboratory. Laboratory analysis includes microscopic examination, chemical tests, and microbiologic tests. The stool will be checked for color, consistency, amount, shape, odor, and the presence of mucus.

Semen Analysis Semen analysis is a test of a man’s sperm and semen. Also known as a sperm count or male fertility test, its results show how many sperm are released, as well as how they're shaped and how well they move Semen is the thick fluid that comes from men’s penis when they ejaculate during sexual activity. It carries sperm out of a man’s body so it can fertilize an egg and create an embryo (the first stage of pregnancy). Why Have a Semen Analysis? If you and your partner are having trouble getting pregnant, one of the first tests your doctor will likely ask for is a semen analysis. While both men and women can have problems, issues with male fertility can play a part in as many as half of all infertility cases. And male infertility is often caused by low sperm production. Another reason you might need a semen analysis is to make sure a vasectomy (a procedure to prevent pregnancy) was successful. It’s usually done 8 to 16 weeks after the surgery to see if you’re still making any healthy sperm.

The cortisol blood test measures the level of cortisol in the blood. Cortisol is a steroid (glucocorticoid or corticosteroid) hormone produced by the adrenal gland. A cortisol test is used to help diagnose disorders of the adrenal gland. These include Cushing's syndrome, a condition that causes your body to make too much cortisol, and Addison disease, a condition in which your body doesn't make enough cortisol.

Prothrombin Time Test and INR (PT/INR) A prothrombin time (PT) test measures how long it takes for a clot to form in a blood sample. An INR (international normalized ratio) is a type of calculation based on PT test results. Prothrombin is a protein made by the liver. It is one of several substances known as clotting (coagulation) factors. When you get a cut or other injury that causes bleeding, your clotting factors work together to form a blood clot. Clotting factor levels that are too low can cause you to bleed too much after an injury. Levels that are too high can cause dangerous clots to form in your arteries or veins. A PT/INR test helps find out if your blood is clotting normally. It also checks to see if the medicine that prevents blood clots is working the way it should. A PT/INR test is used to: 1. See how well warfarin is working. Warfarin is a blood-thinning medicine that's used to treat and prevent dangerous blood clots. (Coumadin is a common brand name for warfarin.) 2. Find out the reason for abnormal blood clots 3. Find out the reason for unusual bleeding 4. Check clotting function before surgery 5. Check for liver problems

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This test is usually the first one used to detect infection with HIV. If antibodies to HIV are present (positive), the test is usually repeated to confirm the diagnosis. If ELISA is negative, other tests usually aren't needed. This test has a low chance of having a false result after the first few weeks that a person is infected.

Triiodothyronine (T3) Tests This test measures the level of triiodothyronine (T3) in your blood. T3 is one of two major hormones made by your thyroid, a small, butterfly-shaped gland located near the throat. The other hormone is called thyroxine (T4.) T3 and T4 work together to regulate how your body uses energy. These hormones also play an important role in controlling your weight, body temperature, muscle strength, and nervous system. The T3 hormone comes in two forms: Bound T3, which attaches to protein Free T3, which does not attach to anything A test that measures both bound and free T3 is called a total T3 test. Another test called free T3 just measures free T3. Either test may be used to check T3 levels. If T3 levels are not normal, it can be a sign of thyroid disease. Other names: thyroid function test; total triiodothyronine, free triiodothyronine, FT3 What is it used for? A T3 test is most often used to diagnose hyperthyroidism, a condition in which the body makes too much thyroid hormone. T3 tests are frequently ordered with T4 and TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) tests. A T3 test may also be used to monitor treatment for thyroid disease.

Thyroid function tests are a series of blood tests used to measure how well your thyroid gland is working. Available tests include FT3, FT4, and TSH. The thyroid is a small gland located in the lower-front part of your neck. It’s responsible for helping regulate many bodily processes, such as metabolism, energy generation, and mood. The thyroid produces two major hormones: triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). If your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of these hormones, you may experience symptoms such as weight gain, lack of energy, and depression. This condition is called hypothyroidism. If your thyroid gland produces too many hormones, you may experience weight loss, high levels of anxiety, tremors, and a sense of being on a “high.” This is called hyperthyroidism. Typically, a doctor who is concerned about your thyroid hormone levels will order broad screening tests, such as the T4 or the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test. If those results come back abnormal, your doctor will order further tests to pinpoint the reason for the problem.

An erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a type of blood test that measures how quickly erythrocytes (red blood cells) settle at the bottom of a test tube that contains a blood sample. Normally, red blood cells settle relatively slowly. A faster-than-normal rate may indicate inflammation in the body. Prognostic Marker to detect inflammation caused by infections, tumors or autoimmune diseases.