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Suite 15, 117A Harley Street, London, W1G 6AT, UK
Suite 15, 117A Harley Street, London, W1G 6AT, UK
Full Blood Count or FBC is a common type of blood test. Also known as full blood examination (FBE) or complete blood count (CBC), it provides more information about the cells that make up your blood.
The result of an FBC test can indicate a variety of health conditions like anaemia, bleeding/clotting disorders or infections. In a full blood count, the following parameters are measured:
This test can help to check the number, sizes and kinds of several cells in the blood including-
Each of these components has a standard level in the blood and measuring each of them, and their sub-groups is vital in diagnosing a wide range of diseases
Anaemia is a common blood condition characterised by a reduced level of haemoglobin or red blood cells in the blood. The level of the RBCs is measured using two main parameters— haemoglobin and haematocrit levels. The size of the RBCs is measured using the mean corpuscular volume (MCV). MCV determines how healthy your red blood cells are. An increased MCV level means that your red blood cells are swollen due to excessive intake of alcohol.
The RBCs are responsible for carrying and storing oxygen in the blood. Low levels of RBCs mean that your essential tissues and organs may not receive enough oxygen, which is necessary for carrying out important chemical reactions capable of releasing energy.
There are different types of anaemia, but the most common is the iron-deficient anaemia which means that iron is lacking in the body due to either insufficient iron in the diet or the inability of the body to absorb the available iron leading to reduced red blood cells in the body.
Anaemia due to iron deficiency expresses the following symptoms
The size of the RBCs is also used as an indicator of iron deficiency anaemia.
If your FBC test result shows that you are anaemic, you will need to carry out a further test that measures your ferritin levels to confirm the diagnosis.
Other common causes of anaemia include deficiency in vitamin B12 and folate, so if you have anaemic-like symptoms, you’ll need to run a full blood count test alongside vitamin B12 and folate blood tests. These three blood tests are usually sufficient to reveal the cause of anaemia, but if none of them discovers the cause of the anaemia, you will have to perform a colonoscopy or endoscopy to eliminate internal bleeding due to stomach ulcer.
Measuring the level of blood platelets during a full blood count can help in the diagnosis of blood clotting or coagulation disorders. Blood clotting is a process that prevents excessive bleeding whenever blood vessels are injured. Several blood proteins, like fibrin, work together with the platelets to form a mesh-work around the injured blood vessel to prevent excess blood loss.
Blood clotting is an essential body process, but if the blood clots easily and does not dissolve properly as the blood is being transported around the body, it may limit or block blood flow.
When a blood-clot forms in the vein, it is known as thrombus or venous thromboembolism while blood-clots in other small blood vessels are called Embolism. These two conditions are dangerous and require immediate medical treatment.
There are two common blood clotting conditions
Pulmonary embolism usually results from a DVT travelling from the veins in the leg to the heart and lungs. About 10% of pulmonary embolism originates from a DVT.
The following are high-risk factors for developing blood clots
If you think you have a blood clotting disorder, it's advisable to quickly get a full blood count done to check if your platelets are within the normal range.
At London GP clinic, we can also carry out Pre-travel DVT profile during your full blood count test to check if you are at risk of having blood clots, especially before a long-haul flight.
If you are experiencing the symptoms specific to DVT or PE, we recommend that you immediately go to a hospital for an ultrasound investigation or an anticoagulant treatment.
Platelets disorders such as malfunctioning or low-level platelets can cause bleeding or haemorrhaging diseases. In this condition, the platelets are unable to function properly, leading to the slow formation of clotting and excessive bleeding.
Bleeding-related symptoms include
Thrombocytopenia is the deficiency of blood platelets leading to the symptoms listed above. It can be caused by an autoimmune condition known as lupus (rheumatoid arthritis) or other unknown causes.
Other bleeding disorders include Von Willebrand disease and Haemophilia, which are both inherited from parents.
Generally, haemorrhaging is caused by factors such as
Measuring the level of white blood cells during a full blood count can tell if there is any form of infection in the body. High levels of WBCs, also known as leucocytes, is an indication of an infection.
The various types of white blood cells are measured during a full blood count.
The information gotten from FBC can tell you a lot about your general health, but you will have to see our expert GP before the test.
Full blood count can help a doctor in diagnosing and assessing different conditions. It is used as a part of routine medical tests or can be used for checking specific problems which include:
Different medical conditions may affect the results of a full blood count test. Blood cells can be affected by taking certain medications and some mineral or vitamin deficiencies so it is always best to see a doctor when experiencing symptoms.
Many diseases might affect full blood count and the ultimate result can help a trained medical professional in reaching a diagnosis.
When undergoing a FBC test, you will be able to eat and drink normally before conducting your test. Simply arrive to your appointment well hydrated to aid in phlebotomy (blood taking).
A blood sample is required in order to run the test. The blood sample will be collected by a highly experienced and trained medical professional in our Harley Street clinic.
A needle will be inserted into your arm near the elbow and a blood sample will be taken, the process is typically almost painless, however if you have a phobia of needles or blood, let us know. The blood sample will then be sent to the laboratory for analysis.
You can visit our clinic at Suite 15, 117A Harley Street, London, W1G 6AT for your full blood count test or call 020 70434318 to book an appointment. At London GP Clinic, we perform FBC test for £56.00, and you should expect your result in 24 hours.
* A blood draw fee of £50 is payable for blood tests, urine tests and swabs carry no surcharge.