Three Ways Practitioners Are Botching Blood Chemistry Interpretation [Part 3 of 3]

Aug 10 / Drs. Bryan & Julie Walsh
There is MUCH more on a blood chemistry report than is printed…

No really, there is.

And if you’re not using the numerous calculations available to analyze the data further, you’re missing out big time.

Welcome to installment #3 of Three Ways Practitioners Are Missing Out BIG TIME when it comes to blood chemistry interpretation.

Recap:

Now, let’s dive into #3 Not Implementing Easy-To-Use Calculations to Extract the Most Information from the Test.

If you regularly wish you had more information on your client to direct their case better, you’re going to love this.

While there are numerous scientifically validated calculations taught in our Blood Chemistry Interpretation course, let’s use viscosity as today’s example. It’s a valuable, yet way underappreciated marker. By the end of this article, you have no excuse not to use it with every patient.

What is Viscosity?

Blood viscosity is simply the thickness of blood. And the thicker the blood, the more problems there are.

Blood viscosity is associated with all sorts of chronic conditions, and in some cases, appears causative.

For example, there are even studies suggesting that blood viscosity is an independent risk factor for type II diabetes and also precedes, or maybe even causes, diabetes.

Beyond that, increased blood viscosity has been said to be a better measurement of dehydration than other classic measurements, and is correlated with:
In other words, whole blood viscosity is associated with numerous chronic conditions, might even be predictive or precede certain chronic conditions, and as one group of researchers put it:

“Plasms viscosity . . . can add useful information about the diagnosis and treatment of various disorders, and it should be utilized more frequently in clinical medicine.” (emphasis added)

If it is THAT valuable as a marker, why haven’t we heard about it before and why aren’t we using it. Especially when it is so easy to figure out.

How Do You Measure It?

It turns out all you need to calculate blood viscosity using a validated formula is total protein and hematocrit. Here’s the formula for high shear rate whole blood viscosity:
[0.12 X HCT] + [0.17 X (TP - 2.07)]

HCT = hematocrit, use as a percentage

TP = total protein, use in g/L

Example: If hematocrit is 44% and total protein is 70 g/L, here’s how it would look.

[0.12 X 44] + [0.17 X (70 - 2.07)] = 16.8

Based on our research and calculations, high shear whole blood viscosity should fall within these ranges:

Men: 15.3-19.1
Women: 14.7-18.3

Conclusion

1.

Blood viscosity is an extremely important metric and very easy to measure without running any additional tests. 

2.

Using calculations, like viscosity, are something every practitioner should include in the interpretation of their blood chemistry tests. 

3.

If you’re not using evidence-based ranges, up-to-date information on laboratory biomarkers, or calculations on your blood chemistry interpretation, do not walk, RUN to the Blood Chemistry Interpretation course, and up your game today.
We don’t need another laboratory test. Blood chemistry remains the most accurate, valuable, insightful, useful, and cost-effective test available to practitioners today, ESPECIALLY, if we use it correctly.

We give you everything you need to absolutely CRUSH your next blood chemistry evaluation in our Blood Chemistry Interpretation Course.