The experts who manufacture the ESR Stat® Plus instrument discuss when patients can expect to receive the test.
Q: What does the test measure? A: The ESR or erythrocyte sedimentation rate indicates the presence and intensity of an inflammatory process. It’s a nonspecific marker test, meaning levels don’t necessarily point to a certain diagnosis. The doctor needs to look at the patient’s overall health, perform other tests and other observations in order to narrow down to a certain condition. Q: What is the ESR test useful for? A: The ESR is a useful screening test, but a normal ESR value does not exclude malignancy or other serious disease. The test is also useful in monitoring the course or response to treatment of certain diseases (e.g. temporal arteritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, acute rheumatic fever, rheumatoid arthritis, etc). Q: Should everyone get this test as part of regular medical checkups? A: No, the ESR test is not recommended in the absence of other symptoms. The test can be influenced by conditions besides inflammation (pregnancy for example) and it is not intended to pinpoint a specific disease.
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AuthorESR Stat Plus Archives
June 2017
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