The Fibrinogen blood test is known by names such as Factor I, Fibrinogen Activity, Functional Fibrinogen, Fibrinogen Antigen, Plasma Fibrinogen, and Hypofibrinogenemia Test. This is usually done to determine the fibrinogen levels in the blood. Fibrinogen happens to be an essential protein that helps the blood to clot and this helps the body to heal wounds faster. The fibrinogen activity test is conducted to measure the function of the fibrinogen in the blood. The result of this test is reported as the protein concentration in the blood.
A blood sample is needed for this test, however, no special preparation is required, unless the doctor says so. People taking any special medication like blood thinners may be asked to stop it. It is better to wear some comfortable clothing with sleeves that can be easily rolled up to enable easy drawing of blood from the arm. Kindly check with the doctor and the lab assistant for any specific procedures to be followed.
This test is advised when someone has prolonged or unexplained bleeding, thrombosis, etc. where the doctor suspects issues with blood clotting. The normal reference range for this test result is 200 to 400 mg/dL (2.0 to 4.0 g/L). Decreased fibrinogen activity may be due to insufficient or dysfunctional fibrinogen and further tests may be ordered. Chronically low levels may indicate reduced production of fibrinogen due to conditions such as afibrinogenemia or hypofibrinogenemia, end-stage liver disease or severe malnutrition. Acutely low levels may indicate consumption of fibrinogen as in the case of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and abnormal fibrinolysis. Elevated levels are seen with acute infections, coronary heart disease, pregnancy, stroke, trauma, cancer, etc. People with elevated levels have greater chances of developing cardiovascular diseases over time.
The procedure is a simple one, where the blood sample is taken from your arm and can be done at any doctor’s clinic, laboratory, etc. The lab assistant will clean the site on the arm with a swab of alcohol. A fresh needle is then inserted into a vein in your arm with a tube attached to collect the blood. The needle is removed once enough blood has been drawn. The tube is sealed and labelled and sent to the laboratory for analysis. The site from where the blood was drawn will be covered with a gauze pad.
Type | Gender | Age-Group | Value |
---|---|---|---|
Fibrinogen
|
Unisex
|
All age groups
|
150 - 400 mg/dl
|
When it comes to health benefits, green tea has been an undisputed winner for a long time. It is a must-have for all health-conscious people. For many people, the day starts and ends with a cup of green tea. However, of late, its position and popularity have been challenged. With its health benefits, white tea is slowly but steadily finding its way into the lives of people.
Now the obvious question is; which one of the two (green tea or white tea) is better? While some loyal fans swear by green tea, others have genuine reasons to opt for white tea. To know more about their benefits, one first needs to know, what are green and white tea?
Green tea and white tea are both extracted and processed from the same mother plant, Camellia sinensis. White tea is manufactured using young buds and leaves. Green tea, on the other hand, is manufactured from the older leaves of the plant.
Also, green tea undergoes more processing compared to white tea. In the case of green tea, the leaves are first withered, followed by steaming or frying (pan-frying). Next, there is rolling, shaping, and finally drying of the leaves. In the case of white tea, the processing is simple and involves steaming followed by drying of the leaves.
The health benefits of green tea Vs white tea