What is the Significance of Cholesterol Testing in Health Care?

 

High cholesterol is a risk factor for some serious health conditions. However, a person may not experience any signs or symptoms of this condition. So, it is important to have complete cholesterol medical testing in NJ and know if the levels are high! Results of a test can help doctors estimate your risk for heart attacks and other cardiac blood vessel conditions.

A complete cholesterol test can predict the levels of mainly four types of fats in your body such as; 

Total cholesterol- It’s the total value of your blood’s cholesterol content in the human body.

LDL cholesterol- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is known as bad cholesterol. The presence of excess amounts of this type of cholesterol can cause a buildup of fatty deposits in your arteries. This condition is often known as atherosclerosis. It can reduce the blood flow, and rupture of plaque can even lead to heart attack or stroke. 

HDL cholesterol- HDL (High-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is also known as healthy cholesterol. It helps carry away bad cholesterol and keep arteries open. As a result, blood flows freely in your body. 

Triglycerides- They are a type of fat in the blood. Your body converts the extra calories into triglycerides and stores them into fat cells. High levels of triglycerides can result due to many factors such as being overweight, eating excess sweets or drinking too much alcohol, being physically inactive and having high blood sugar levels. 

Who should get this test?

It is best to go for complete blood medical testing in NJ at least once a year. But if you have any heart-related disease and are taking cholesterol-reducing medicines, you may need to go for cholesterol screening more often.

You can go for it if you-

• Have a family history of heart-related conditions or high cholesterol
• Are overweight
• Have a sedentary lifestyle
• Have diabetes
• Eat an unhealthy diet frequently
• Are active smoker

People already undergoing treatment for high cholesterol from any health care clinic in NJ require regular cholesterol testing to manage their condition.

 

Can Whooping Cough be Life-Threatening?

Whooping cough, also known as Pertussis, is a highly contagious infection that usually causes severe coughing fits that sound like “whoop” followed by a high-pitched intake of breath. It is a respiratory disease that produces cold-like symptoms at early stages, such as runny nose, sneezing, mild cough, low-grade fever.  The symptoms may vary in different patients. In fact, it does not present any serious symptoms for most adults. However, it can present severe symptoms in children. So, if you or your child is suffering from constant coughing, it is best to get medical testing in NJ for a diagnosis.

 

Pertussis (whooping cough) primarily affects young children under the age of 7. But, it can also cause potentially life-threatening complications for teenagers, pregnant women, and adults after their immunization shot’s effect have worn off. it is highly contagious and can easily infect a dozen people from a single cough. Luckily, it is preventable with vaccination. So, if you have been diagnosed or suspect having whooping cough, you can get vaccinated at any walk-in urgent care clinic in New Jersey. 

Why is it Dangerous?

Whooping cough can cause violent coughing fits that may make it very difficult for the individual to breathe. It can often last more than 12 weeks. The violent cough may also present a risk of rib fractures and even death in babies. So, if you have any children under the age of 7 or you experience any symptoms of whooping cough, visit a vaccination clinic in NJ for the pertussis vaccine. As per CDC, the vaccination is the most effective way to combat the risk of whooping cough infection.

Who Needs to get the Pertussis Vaccination?

As per the experts, the primary cause of whooping cough outbreaks is the failure to vaccinate. Therefore, it is recommended that children, young adults, and old age people get vaccinated to prevent the infection. As per CDC, it is recommended for children under 1-2 years old and 4-6 years old to receive 3 shots of diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (Pertussis) vaccine shots in NJ. Children aged 11-12 should be given Tdap vaccine to build immunization. For adults, it is recommended to get booster shots every 10 years to maintain immunity. 

Due to regular vaccinations, outbreaks of whooping cough are rare in the United States. However, there is an increased risk of infection in developing countries that suffer from a lack of proper vaccination facilities. So, if you have any plans of traveling to a developing country, it is recommended to visit a walk-in urgent care clinic in New Jersey to get a checkup before traveling. After a physical exam, your doctor may determine if you need the vaccine shot for Pertussis.

 If you need to get vaccinated or have any queries, get in touch with our healthcare experts.

 

Surprising Benefits Of Preventive Diagnostic Services

Among all the health care services an individual seeks in his lifetime, diagnostic services are probably the most underrated ones. The main reason for this is the lack of awareness and information about the concept. Diagnostic services, specifically preventive screenings, are extremely beneficial and can also prove to be life-saving.

 

What is Diagnostic Testing?

Diagnostic services in NJ are basically the health care services that determine the cause of any illness or check and ensure healthy bodily functions. Diagnostic testing is done on various levels. The basic one would be the preventive measures taken which include general tests like blood tests, blood pressure testing, cholesterol testing, etc. More complex diagnostic tests are ordered by a physician when some abnormalities are found in the results of preliminary tests.

 What are the Benefits Of Diagnostic Services?

 Diagnostic services include blood tests, X-rays, or extensive ones like MRI and endoscopy, etc. These also help your doctor create a treatment plan and measure the success of ongoing treatments. Other advantages of diagnostic testing include:

• Diagnostic testing can be life-saving. It can help your doctor diagnose a condition or illness in its early stages, saving you from experiencing discomfort and long treatment plans. Hence, in such situations, early diagnosis means less extensive treatment, meaning you will also be able to save thousands in medical bills.

 

• Regular diagnostic services like blood screenings, diabetes testing, etc. can provide important information needed to make any necessary lifestyle changes for better health and quality of life. 

 

• In certain areas with widespread contagious diseases like Hepatitis and Tuberculosis, diagnostic services have proven to be very useful in helping scientists discover treatment plans and vaccinations to save masses.

 

• The lesser-known merit of diagnostic testing is the prognosis. This method of medical testing may help the physician make a prognosis of chances of developing an illness among patients. Thus, such preventive measures can help patients and doctors work together in making an illness prevention plan.

Therefore, preventive healthcare is just as important as diagnostic care and must be undertaken regularly under the supervision of your physician. NJ Doctors Urgent Care is at forefront of medical testing in NJ equipped with state-of-the-art technology and pieces of equipment, providing accurate results. So, make an appointment to consult with our specialist today.

Get Yourself Tested: The Importance of Lab Testing

Medical laboratory testing plays an essential role in the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of many diseases in patients. It is an enormous part of the healthcare industry, and yet it gets much less publicity than it deserves. The truth of the matter is that testing labs in NJ are extremely important for a patient to get monthly, quarterly or yearly physical examination.

If a patient routinely visits a testing lab to get routine physical examinations, this may allow doctors to apply a preventative treatment, which could save the patient from falling prey to a serious medical condition. In other words, lab testing is one of the first lines of defense to protect a patient’s well being.

An estimated 60 to 79 percent of all the decisions related to a patient’s diagnosis, treatment, hospital fees, and discharge are based on laboratory tests. Hence, much of a patient’s experience in the healthcare industry depends on the tests.

In this blog, I will outline the basic laboratory testing and screening procedures, so that you understand the importance of the healthcare industry, and why it is important to participate regularly in lab testing.

Lab technicians: Medical technologists, medical laboratory scientists, perform most of the laboratory tests in testing labs. These experts analyze test results such as urine tests, blood tests, etc. Furthermore, they also conduct chemical, biological, immunologic, bacteriological, and hematological tests that require keen analytical and independent judgment. Only after years of medical training, and hands-on exposure to medical analysis procedures, can a medical laboratory scientist be approved to analyze actual patients and their specimens.

Everyday Functions of a Lab Technician: Medical laboratory experts perform various duties that ensure timely, and accurate results.

Here is the list of just a few of those duties:

• Crossmatch blood for blood transfusions
• Monitor patient outcomes
• Make microscopic examination and analysis of blood, body fluids, tissues, and cells
• Identify fluids for chemical analytes, such as glucose and cholesterol

The Life Cycle of a Lab Test: No matter which doctor you visit, the same standardized system is used to test and provide results to the doctor and the patient. Below mentioned is the average life cycle of a lab test.

• Patient visits a doctor
• The doctor recommends lab tests
• The specimen is taken from the patient
• The specimen is transferred to a nearby clinical lab
• Tests analyze specimen and produce results
• A clinical lab provides results to doctor
• Doctor interprets results
• The doctor informs the patient of results and implications
• Diagnosis and treatment decisions are made by the doctor and patient

Summing Up

These are some of the basic facts you should know about testing labs in NJ. Lab Testing is the premier tool in a doctor's toolkit to identify, prevent and treat sickness and diseases. This is why it is important to you, the patient, to understand what it is, who is performing it and why you should visit it often.