Una Health Ltd
Document Control
Author: E. C. Hamer
UH-POC-TM-2 Revision 1
Date of Issue 26.04.10
Photocopied versions & handwritten amendments of this document are not controlled
Page 10 of 54
Printed 27 April 2010
Glucose
Measurement of blood glucose is predominantly indicated to screen for, to detect
and to control hyperglycaemia due to diabetes mellitus as well as to monitor its
treatment. Also, it serves to diagnose suspected hypoglycaemia. Impaired fasting
glucose and impaired glucose tolerance are observed as pre-diabetes, and they are
associated with a high risk for developing diabetes. There is also growing evidence
that people with impaired fasting glucose are at an increased risk for micro- and
macrovascular complications. The recognition of diabetes and following the progress
of the disease in primary care are of prime importance in the medical practice
Creatine Kinase / CK
Creatine kinase (CK) is an enzyme that mainly occurs in muscles, heart and brain.
Determination of CK activity is used for the diagnosis and monitoring of myocardial
infarction and the monitoring of muscle diseases such as Duchenne progressive
muscular dystrophy. Coronary heart disease and similar diseases are among the
most frequent causes of death or early invalidity. In myocardial damage, such as in
acute myocardial infarction, CK is released from destroyed myocardial cells. An
increase of CK activity in the blood can be detected as early as 4 hours after the
infarction. CK activity reaches its peak after 12 - 24 hours and returns to the
reference range after 4 - 5 days
Haemoglobin
Haemoglobin (Hb) is the red blood pigment of the erythrocytes. It is the major carrier
of the iron contained in the body (approx. 70 %). The function of haemoglobin is to
transport oxygen from the lungs to the tissues, and the carbon dioxide produced by
metabolism from the tissues back to the lungs. Decreased levels of haemoglobin
together with haematocrit and red blood cell count indicate anaemia, so screening
the haemoglobin value is useful for the diagnosis of anaemia, the assessment of the
course of disease and response to treatment.
In addition the diagnosis has to be based on case history, clinical examination and
laboratory results.
Cholesterol
Determination of total cholesterol is essential for primary and secondary prevention
of cardiovascular diseases, since it is the prime risk factor for atherosclerosis and
coronary heart disease (CHD). Therefore accurate measurement of cholesterol level
is a mandatory part of CHD risk assessment. Attention should also be paid to the
assessment of HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides as independent
CHD risk factors
