Test Explanations
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Height/Weight: Over- or underweight conditions may indicate metabolic or nutritional disorder. Overweight may be significant in the development of health problems.
Pulse & Blood Pressure: Measure of the pressure exerted by the blood inside the arteries. Significantly high blood pressure should never be ignored, since it can lead to stroke or heart attack. Urinalysis: Test for blood, sugar, protein and pH. Test may suggest possible existence of diabetes or other diseases of the liver, kidney or bladder. Visual Acuity: Test for clarity of distance vision. Audiometric Exam: A test to determine if there is a significant hearing loss. Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG): The electrocardiogram measures the electricity caused by the beating of our heart. All muscle contractions give off electricity. The test checks if the heart is beating properly, and that all the tissue is healthy. Roughly two out of three elderly people have EKG’s which are abnormal in some respect. Breast Exam (women only): Examination for lumps and other breast abnormalities. Blood Tests: Six blood tests are performed. They are classified along the following categories: Hematology: red blood cell count, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit (these tests determine the body’s disease-fighting capability, the possible existence of leukemia and other blood disease), MCV (measure of the size of the red blood cell), and platelets (measure of total number of platelets in the blood). Chemistry: Glucose (sugar), cholesterol, uric acid (gout), urea nitrogen and total protein. These tests measure the nutritional state and are helpful in identifying diseases of the kidney, liver, pancreas, and other organs. Tonometry: A test for detection of glaucoma, which measures the level of pressure within the eye. Like blood pressure, a continuous high level of eyeball pressure is undesirable, and can usually be well controlled. Hemoccult (test for blood in the stool): A test to detect blood in the stool. You completed this test at home and mailed it in to EHSS. If the results are not shown, we may have received the stool test after your other test results were mailed. Please give us a call, and we’ll be happy to give you the results over the telephone. Pap Test (women only): A test to determine precancerous or cancerous states in the cervix or vagina. Rectal Exam: A digital check for the possible presence of hemorrhoids, polyps, and tumors. Also to determine whether there is enlargement or abnormality of the prostate gland in men. |
