blood chemistry analysis
There is no general screening test that is more efficient, effective and affordable than a comprehensive blood chemistry panel. A comprehensive blood chemistry panel will allow the healthcare provider to quickly assess the degree of health or disease in a patient. It is the ultimate tool in biomedical laboratory sciences to evaluate new patients. It allows the healthcare provider to establish a baseline of biomarkers that can be used to track the patient's health immediately and over a period of time.
—Datis Kharrazian, Apex Enegetics, DC, MS, FAACP, DACBN, DIBAK, CNS, CSCS, CCSP
Blood chemistry is a very effective tool for any healthcare provider to screen and identify imbalances in body metabolism. It serves as an inexpensive way to assess major bodily functions. Analyzing blood chemistry panels can provide sound recommendations, screen for health issues, and monitor changes for treatment.
A blood chemistry analysis should be considered with all patients, especially those who have not had a comprehensive evaluation in recent years. Dr. Reidy can also analyze any previous lab reports that you may have. Many health problems can be prevented and managed effectively with early detection.
The quality of healthcare in the United States has dramatically declined in the past decade. The incorporation of managed care and HMO systems has made dollars a priority over health. Today’s current model is disease management, not early detection or prevention.
Gone are the days when patients were given comprehensive detailed annual examinations and laboratory assessments.
Many people in the United States have given up on the current healthcare model and are searching for alternatives. Alternative medicine has grown aggressively due to the void in the current model. The public is seeking healthcare providers who can provide them with comprehensive evaluations and non-invasive interventions. It is this mindset that sets up the stage for functional medicine in which patients seek objective analyses such as lab tests with support that includes herbs, nutrition, and lifestyle changes.
By integrating functional blood chemistry analysis into his practice, Dr. Reidy is able to analyze various patterns which may have not have been diagnosed, misdiagnosed, or mismanaged.
A comprehensive blood chemistry analysis provides patients and healthcare providers with peace of mind that their metabolism has been thoroughly screened. A routine panel can screen for blood sugar, lipid, renal, hepatic, biliary, cardiovascular, immune, and hematological disorders and risk.
Understanding Blood Chemistry Principals
Although there are some individual test results in blood chemistry that merit evaluation, most blood chemistry markers must be considered along with others test results to make an appropriate diagnosis. Simply stated, with the exception of a few biomarkers, blood chemistry analysis is based on looking for patterns and assessing probabilities based on those results. Occasionally, additional tests will need to be ordered to increase the potential to make a correct diagnosis. Blood chemistry analysis is fundamentally about identifying patterns and relationships between tests to ascertain probabilities. Blood chemistry analysis should always be used in conjunction with a comprehensive medical history that includes past and present illnesses, medication usage, alcohol consumption, herbal and nutritional usage and adequate hydration. It is important for the healthcare provider to understand the identification of patterns and whether any follow-up testing is needed to determine the appropriate diagnosis. Blood chemistry analysis should be analyzed in conjunction with a detailed medical history and physical examination.
Pathological Versus Functional Ranges
Dr. Reidy will spend some time explaining the differences between pathological and functional ranges. A pathological range is used to diagnose disease. A functional range is used to assess risk for disease before disease develops. The main difference between the functional and pathological range is the degree deviation allowed within their normal ranges.
For example, the functional range for glucose is 85-100, the pathological range could be 65-110, depending on the lab. Levels above the pathological range may indicate diabetes. Levels above the functional range, but before they reach the extremes of the pathological range, may indicate insulin resistance and future risk for developing diabetes.
Conventional medical training is concerned with the diagnosis of disease and rarely preventative medicine. Healthcare providers that practice preventive medicine are those most inclined to incorporate consulting patients when their levels register outside of the functional range. If biomarkers can be managed before they fall within the pathological range, preventive medicine can be practiced. Traditional healthcare providers usually do not embrace the concept of a functional range. Practitioners who embrace the importance of functional ranges usually are also concerned about diet, nutrition and lifestyle changes.
Disclaimer
The information outlined here is not intended as a substitute for personalized medical advice The information written here should not be construed as a claim or representation that any procedure or product mentioned constitutes a specific cure, palliative or ameliorative. Procedures and products described should be considered as adjunctive to other accepted procedures, deemed necessary by the attending, licensed doctor (Dr. Reidy).
It is the concern of the Department of Health and Human Services that no homeopathic and/or nutritional supplements be used to replace established, conventional medical approached especially in cases of emergencies, serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions.
Apex Energetics and Dr. Reidy share in this concern, as replacing conventional treatment with such remedies, especially in serious cases, may deprive the patient of necessary treatment and thereby cause harm and could pose a major legal liability for the health professional involved.