From the Guidelines
Blood tests for a young, healthy patient's general health assessment should include lipid profiles, complete blood counts, and blood glucose tests, but only if they have risk factors or are above a certain age threshold.
Recommended Blood Tests
- Lipid profiles: should begin in young adulthood (≥20 y of age) 1, but universal cholesterol screening is recommended for youths 9–11 y of age 1
- Complete blood counts: including hematocrit or hemoglobin, are recommended at 12 months of age to detect iron deficiency anemia, and a risk assessment should determine if additional screening is needed at 15 and 30 months of age 1
- Blood glucose tests: should be screened for type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults with BP >135/80 mm Hg or symptoms, or in adults (≥45 y of age) and adults of any age with BMI ≥25 kg/m2 and at least 1 risk factor for diabetes mellitus 1
Other Health Assessments
- Blood pressure: should be screened every 2 y (<120/80 mm Hg) 1
- Body mass index (BMI): should be screened every 2 y (BMI <25 kg/m2 and no history of being overweight) 1
- Sexually transmitted infection (STI) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening: is recommended in adolescents 16 to 18 years of age 1 Note that these recommendations are based on the patient's age, risk factors, and medical history, and may vary depending on individual circumstances.
From the Research
General Health Assessment for Young, Healthy Patients
The following blood tests are not generally recommended for young, healthy patients:
- Routine blood tests, as they have no proven value in early detection of diseases and may be harmful 2
- Laboratory monitoring for oral isotretinoin, as adverse events are rare and not preventable by monitoring 3
Blood Tests for Specific Conditions
However, certain blood tests may be useful in assessing the risk of specific conditions, such as:
- Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, where Complete Blood Count (CBC) components like white blood cell count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and platelet count may be useful markers 4
- Chronic diseases, where blood tests are vital for prevention, diagnosis, and management, including tests for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease 5
Diagnostic Approach to Specific Conditions
In cases where a young patient has had a stroke, a diagnostic approach including blood work, such as:
- Basic risk factor blood work (e.g., lipid panel, hemoglobin A1c, TSH, ESR, CRP, RPR, HIV, and toxicology screen) 6
- May be necessary to determine the underlying cause of the stroke and guide treatment and secondary prevention strategies.