Laboratory Services

Laboratory Services

Advanced Testing Services at Coteau Home Health Care

In our laboratory at Coteau Health Care System, specially trained and registered technologists and technicians perform a variety of tests for diagnosing, treating, and monitoring patients for a wide range of conditions. We continuously pursue innovative solutions to thoroughly asses and improve the health of those we serve.

Specialized tests offered at Coteau Health Care System may determine the condition and / or status of the:

  • Heart
  • Liver
  • Thyroid
  • Kidneys

In addition, other laboratory tests:

  • Help determine whether a drug level is toxic or therapeutic
  • Indicate if an illness is bacterial or viral
  • Uncover the type of bacteria or virus
  • Determine if the patient is anemic or has a bleeding disorder and requires a blood transfusion

Having in-house laboratory services available means you get your results more quickly and your doctor has the information needed for diagnosis and treatment. At Coteau Home Health Care, we are proud to provide immediate, advanced services for our valued patients. Common lab tests performed at CDP include those listed below.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is different from most tests in that it is not used to diagnose or monitor a disease, but to estimate risk of developing a disease—specifically heart disease. Because high blood cholesterol has been associated with hardening of the arteries, heart disease, and a raised risk of death from heart attacks, cholesterol testing is considered a routine part of preventive health care.

Cholesterol testing is recommended as a screening test for all adults at least once every five years. It is usually ordered as part of a routine physical exam. It may be ordered alone or in combination with other tests including HDL, LDL, and triglycerides—often called a lipid profile.

Cholesterol is tested at more frequent intervals—often several times per year—in patients who have been prescribed a specific diet and / or drugs to lower their cholesterol. The test is used to track how well these measures are succeeding in lowering cholesterol to desired levels—and, in turn, of lowering the risk of developing heart disease.

Triglycerides

Blood tests for triglycerides are usually part of a lipid profile used to identify the risk of heart disease. It is especially important for diabetics to have triglycerides measured as part of any lipid testing since triglycerides increase significantly when blood sugar is out of control.

Lipid profiles, including triglycerides, are recommended as routine tests to evaluate risk of heart disease in healthy adults. The test for triglycerides is not often ordered alone since risk of heart disease is based on cholesterol levels, not triglycerides. However, if you have been found to have high triglycerides and are being treated for it, a triglyceride test may be ordered to see if treatment is working.

High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL)

The test of HDL cholesterol is used to determine a patient’s risk of heart disease. If a high cholesterol level is due to high HDL, a person is probably at low risk and further testing or treatment for high cholesterol is not advised. HDL is usually ordered with other tests, either with cholesterol or as part of a lipid profile, including LDL and triglycerides. The combination of total cholesterol and HDL is very useful for screening for heart disease since it is not necessary to fast for these two tests. A more complete lipid profile requires fasting for at least 12 hours prior to the test.

Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)

The PSA blood screen is used as a prostate cancer indicator. Measuring the ratio of free-PSA to total PSA in the patient's blood provides additional information that helps your doctor distinguish prostate cancer from benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and other non-cancer related causes of high PSA. This ratio may also help predict whether the prostate cancer is an aggressive, fast-growing disease or a slow-growing, non-aggressive form of the disease. The American Cancer Society recommends annual PSA and digital rectal exams for all men beginning at the age of 50. Men who have an increased risk for prostate cancer—such as American men of African descent and men with a family history of the disease—should start getting tested earlier, usually at age 40 or 45.

Glucose

Glucose testing is most commonly used to diagnose and manage diabetes. Since glucose levels in the blood vary with eating patterns, the most useful testing for diabetes is possible when the patient has fasted for eight hours before the test. Glucose testing can be used to screen healthy individuals for diabetes, because diabetes is a common disease that begins with a few symptoms. Screening is especially important for people who are at a high risk of developing diabetes, including those with a family history of diabetes, those who are overweight, and those who are more than 40 years old.

Glucose testing is also ordered in patients who complain of symptoms that suggest diabetes, such as excessive thirst, weight loss, and frequent urination. By the time that these symptoms appear, a person may have already had diabetes for several years. Glucose testing is also performed during pregnancy, because during this time some women develop a temporary type of diabetes called gestational diabetes.

Urinalysis

This test is performed on a fresh urine specimen. It is best if the specimen is collected in the lab in order to ensure proper container and collection protocol. Some of the urine constituents checked include pH, glucose, bilirubin, and the presence of white blood cells or red blood cells. A physician or other healthcare practitioner will be called to evaluate results of a urinalysis in order to determine whether or not further testing is needed.

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

TSH testing may be used for the following reasons:

  • To diagnose a thyroid disorder in a person with symptoms
  • To screen healthy adults for thyroid disorders as recommended by the American Thyroid Association
  • To screen newborns for an underactive thyroid
  • To monitor thyroid replacement therapy in people with hypothyroidism
  • To diagnose and monitor female infertility problems
If you have any questions about the laboratory tests provided at CDP, contact our office today to speak with a representative who can answer your questions.