5 Medical Tests that May Keep You Well

Clinch Valley Medical Center wants you to know that it's important to keep abreast of the latest tests that can help you stay healthy - especially those tests that can uncover risks before symptoms even occur.

The following five tests are not yet considered as routine as cholesterol or blood sugar, but your doctor is probably already familiar with them.  Please keep in mind that not every test is necessary at every visit and your insurance compnay may not pay unless it considers a test "medically necessary."  It still won't hurt anything to ask you doctor about them. Here's why they may be important to you.

• CRP or C-reactive protein - This is a simple blood test that measures the amount of inflammation in your body.  Elevated CRP levels have been shown to precede and predict heart attack, stroke, colon cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, Alzheimer's disease, aneurysms, sudden cardiac death, abnormal heart rhythms and macular degeneration.
• Vitamin D Check - Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones becauses it's needed for calcium absorption.  However, new research is identifying an important role for Vitamin D in the immune system and in the prevention of cancer, including breast and prostate.  Most people should get between 1000 and 1500 IU of vitamin D3 daily.  The best way to know if you're getting enough vitamin D is to get a blood test.
• H. pylori test - H. pylori is a chronic, potentially lifelong infection of the stomach.  It can cause stomach pain, heartburn or indigestion, but it's often silent, causing no symptoms.  Infection typically occurs when a person eats contaminated food and ingests the bacteria.  The infection can be treated with a combination of antibiotics and antacids.  A simple blood-antibody test can show if you've ever been infected and a stool or breath test can identify if you currently have an active infection.  H.pylori eliminates the increased risk of stomach cancer, ulcers and related disorders. 
• Aspirin Check - Aspirin has been shown to be a preventive measure for people at risk for heart attack and stroke as well as for colon cancer.  An aspirin check is a test that determines the effectiveness of the daily aspirin for an individual.  This is important for people who are taking aspirin therapeutically for cardiovascular disease as well as those at increased risk for heart disease who are taking aspirin for prevention.
• Glucose - The glucose tolerance test has long been the standard way to identify someone with diabetes.  Until recently, glucose tolerance tests measured only blood sugar or glucose level, which are raised when a person has diabetes.  However, it is now possilbe to measure the average blood glucose level over the past 3 or 4 months.

All of the above lab tests can be ordered by your doctor or you could take advantage of Clinch Valley Medical Center's Self-Referral Lab Testing.  Self-referral lab tests are availabe through the CVMC Laboratory 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.  Simply stop by the lab, which is conveniently located on the hospital's main floor.  No appointment is necessary, just designate the test(s) you want performed and pay the hospital cashier.  You own the results: your insurance company will not be notified and the results will not become part of your medical record.  For more information please call (276) 596-6148 or (276) 596-6146.

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Blood Drives
Clinch Valley Medical Center will be hosting a Marsh Regional Blood Drive in the basement of the hospital on Wednesday, March 12 from 9am - 4pm.  All participants will receive a small snack, a FREE T-shirt and a $5 coupon to the hospital cafeteria.  

Remember: Marsh is the only supplier of blood products to local hospitals, including CVMC, Tazewell Community, Russell County and Buchanan General hospitals. Your donations to the American Red Cross leave the area and are not used here at home for your friends and family.