Blood chemistry tests are a fundamental part of the healthcare experience. Blood chemistry tests measure amounts of certain chemicals in a sample of blood. They show how well certain organs are working and can help find abnormalities. There are many types of blood chemistry tests. They measure chemicals including enzymes, electrolytes, fats (also called lipids), hormones, sugars, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Often several chemicals are grouped together and measured at the same time. 1
Blood tests can provide healthcare providers with a better look at the basic health functions of their patients, allowing them to better diagnose and monitor various health conditions. For example, the basic metabolic panel (BMP) is a group of tests that measures different naturally occurring chemicals in the blood. These tests usually are done on the fluid (plasma) part of blood. The tests can give providers information about your organs, such as the heart, kidneys, and liver. 2
Because of their role in the clinical setting, it is critical that providers get accurate results from the blood tests they order. Physicians heavily rely on laboratory tests to make critical decisions about their patients’ care—roughly 70% of healthcare decisions depend on laboratory test results according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those decisions can be determined solely on the results of these tests, meaning that patients are receiving critical treatment based on the accuracy and quality of the tests. Not only is it essential that these tests work, but it is also essential that physicians understand the tests and how they work.3
Physicians heavily rely on laboratory tests to make critical decisions about their patients’ care—roughly 70% of healthcare decisions depend on laboratory test results according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
With this blog, we are going to outline the foundational differences between a functional blood chemistry analysis (FCBA) and a traditional blood test interpretation.
What is Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis?
FCBA’s are a holistic, integrative approach to developing a wellness support plan for your patients. Instead of reference ranges, it uses optimal ranges to interpret the results. It’s fairly common for results of a blood test to be in a “normal range”, while the patient is not feeling well.4
When conducted from a functional perspective, blood chemistry analysis can be an incredible method for preventing the evolution of dysfunction into disease. Applied correctly, FBCA can serve as a signpost on a patient’s journey to optimal health.
With that focus on optimal health, this route of testing can work to prevent dysfunction from turning into disease – it can even be used to position and direct the patient towards “optimal health.” This approach works towards those optimal goals with the patient in mind, focusing on those areas of concern and developing a plan to treat them.
Providers leverage several different methodologies for functional blood chemistry. A comprehensive metabolic panel is a blood sample test that measures 14 different substances in the blood, providing important information about your body’s chemical balance and metabolism.
Physicians have many tools and methodologies for functional blood chemistry. In fact, it’s many of the same tools used in the traditional blood test interpretation approach – the biggest difference is how these tests are interpreted. For example, the comprehensive metabolic panel is a blood sample test that measures 14 different substances in your body, which is often used to diagnose patients and monitor for other health concerns.
What is a Traditional Blood Test Interpretation?
Traditional blood test interpretation is the standard process for interpreting patient blood tests. The results are used to diagnose diseases and monitor treatment efficacy through the use of reference ranges, which are a set of values that includes upper and lower limits of a lab test based on a group of otherwise healthy people.5
Those ranges give the parameters for how the physicians are interpreting the test results and determine the patient’s current health status. Providers use the standard methods and parameters for diagnostic blood testing, using some of the following tests:
Key Differences & Picking the Right Approach
The primary difference in these diagnostic tests is the different ranges: optimal ranges versus reference ranges. FBCA emphasizes “optimal” ranges. Optimal health for one person will differ from that for another individual. Identifying “optimal” ranges for any particular person is a difficult task and still requires the use of statistics.6
With this approach in mind, one of the advantages of FCBA is that these “functional” ranges can determine risk and identify smaller health problems before they become diseases down the road. This gives patients a pre-emptive look at the diseases they are most at risk, while building a plan to optimize their health path moving forward.7
Because FCBAs utilize a holistic approach, it’s important to understand that they are best used for looking at how the cellular function impacts overall health. Traditional blood tests have a defined purpose – they operate under parameters of health established by healthcare experts to identify areas of concern and diagnose disease.
Explore SEKISUI Diagnostic’ innovative solutions for enhanced blood testing.
References