Glycemia: what it is, how to measure it and reference values

Glycemia: what it is, how to measure it and reference values

Glycemia is the term that refers to the amount of glucose, better known as sugar, in the blood that arrives through the intake of foods containing carbohydrates, such as cake, pasta and bread, for example. The concentration of glucose in the blood is controlled by two hormones, insulin, which is responsible for reducing sugar in […]

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Cholesterol test: how to understand and reference values

Cholesterol test: how to understand and reference values

​Total cholesterol should always be below 190 mg/dL. Having high total cholesterol does not always mean that the person is sick, as it can occur due to an increase in good cholesterol (HDL), which also increases total cholesterol values. Therefore, one must always take into account the values ​​of HDL cholesterol (good), LDL cholesterol (bad) […]

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Cholesterol values: LDL, HDL, VLDL and total

Cholesterol values: LDL, HDL, VLDL and total

Cholesterol is a type of fat that is essential for the proper functioning of the body. However, having high blood cholesterol levels is not always good and can even cause an increased risk of cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack or stroke. To understand whether high cholesterol is bad or does not represent a problem, […]

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Cholesterol: what it is, types, values ​​(and how to lower it)

Cholesterol: what it is, types, values ​​(and how to lower it)

Cholesterol is a type of fat found in the body, being essential for the functioning of brain cells, nerves, muscles, skin and liver, for example, in addition to acting in the formation of hormones and vitamin D. However, excess cholesterol may cause some health problems. There are several types of cholesterol, such as LDL, or […]

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Platelets: what they are, functions and reference values

Platelets: what they are, functions and reference values

Platelets are small fragments of a cell produced by the bone marrow, the megakaryocyte, and act mainly in the blood clotting process, being essential to prevent major bleeding. The process of megakaryocyte production by the bone marrow and fragmentation into platelets lasts about 10 days and is regulated by the hormone thrombopoietin, which is produced […]

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Prothrombin time: what it is, what it is for and values

Prothrombin time: what it is, what it is for and values

Prothrombin time or PT is a blood test that assesses the blood’s ability to clot, that is, the time needed to stop bleeding, for example. Therefore, the prothrombin time test is used whenever frequent bleeding or bruising occurs to try to find the cause of the problem, as well as when there are suspicions of […]

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