Health Check

A blood glucose test measures the amount of a type of sugar, called glucose, in your blood. Glucose comes from carbohydrate foods. It is the main source of energy used by the body. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body’s cells use glucose. Insulin is produced in the pancreas and released into the blood when the amount of glucose in the blood rises. Normally, your blood glucose levels increase slightly after you eat. This increase causes your pancreas to release insulin so that your blood glucose levels do not get too high. Blood glucose levels that remain high over time can damage your eyes, kidneys, nerves, and blood vessels.

Blood pressure is a measurement of the force applied to the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood through your body. The pressure is determined by the force and amount of blood pumped, and the size and flexibility of the arteries. Blood pressure is continually changing depending on activity, temperature, diet, emotional state, posture, physical state, and medication use.

During each heartbeat, blood pressure varies between a maximum (systolic) and a minimum (diastolic) pressure. The measurement of blood pressure without further specification usually refers to the systemic arterial pressure measured at a person’s upper arm and is a measure of the pressure in the brachial artery, a major artery in the upper arm. A person’s blood pressure is usually expressed in terms of the systolic pressure over diastolic pressure and is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg), for example, 140/90.

Cholesterol plays a major role in your heart health. High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke. That is why it is important for everyone to know their cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol is tested by drawing a small sample of blood from your arm, and then analysed.

Your test report will show your cholesterol level in milligrams per decilitre of blood (mg/dL). Your cholesterol numbers will be interpreted based on other risk factors such as age, family history, smoking, and high blood pressure.

The Triglycerides test is a blood test that determines the number of triglycerides, a form of fat, in the blood. Triglycerides are a form of fat that comes from foods. They can also be made and stored in the body and are used as an energy source. High levels of triglycerides in the blood can mean that there is excess fat in one's diet.