The SMAC blood test is often referred to today as a comprehensive metabolic panel. This test will give your medical provider information about kidney and liver functions. It also looks at the electrolyte balance within the body, blood glucose levels, and blood proteins. Doctors may order this as part of a regular checkup, to monitor ongoing high blood pressure, or to monitor or discover side effects from medications that may damaged the liver or kidneys.
Before the SMAC blood test occurs, most people will need to fast for about 12 hours. There may also be specific instructions that must be followed based on a personal medical history if certain medications or supplements are being taken. Certain drugs and supplements may affect the results of this test.
When is the SMAC Blood Test Ordered?
For most patients, the SMAC blood test is ordered as part of a yearly physical exam. Most people will have normal results that come back from this test. There isn’t any specificity to this test, so if any results come back as abnormal, the medical provider won’t be able to make a diagnosis. Additional tests to confirm or rule out a suspected health problem will be necessary.
What Do the Test Results Mean?
Most medical providers will look at the SMAC blood test in its entirety to find patterns within the results. This is because one portion of it being abnormal may communicate something different than if several items are abnormal on the metabolic panel. If just one test regarding kidney function is abnormal, for example, this would communicate something different than if kidney function and electrolyte imbalances were all detected.
It is not uncommon to have multiple SMAC blood tests ordered over a period of time, especially if a patient has been hospitalized. Metabolic panels taken over the course of several days can give medical providers a clearer insight into the overall health of a patient so that a comprehensive treatment plan can be developed.
Results from the SMAC blood test are usually reported as being “in range” or “out of range.” Having test results that are out of range can happen for any number of reasons. Here is just a sampling of what may cause such a result.
1. Complications with diabetes mellitus.
2. Breathing problems.
3. Chronic and overwhelming stress.
Whenever a test result falls outside of the expected range, a medical provider will order more specific tests to determine the cause of the results. If the test results are within the expected range, then most patients will not require any additional follow-up.
What If Results Are Just Slightly Out of Range?
There are 14 tests that are completed with the SMAC blood test, so a single result that is slightly out of range may or may not have any medical significance. Test results are patient specific and evaluated against the medical history of each individual. Biological variables and individual health variables can create different results that may fit outside of what would be considered “normal” under laboratory conditions.
Sometimes what is “normal” for one person falls outside of the laboratory definition of it. The medical provider will determine if this is the case when results are slightly out of range.
If there is uncertainty in a specific result, however, a medical provider may also choose to repeat the test to confirm the results. Additional tests may be ordered to evaluate the specific readings that were slightly out of range as well to investigate the matter further. This is all done to make sure there isn’t a problem that needs to be addressed now or in the near future.
As a basic rule, when several SMAC blood tests are run over time, there will likely be a result or two that will eventually fall outside of the expected “normal” range of references. Although expected, a medical provider may still wish to follow-up on first-time results that are outside of the normal range.
The SMAC blood test is just a first-stage test to determine if there is a health issue that requires investigation. If the results come back within an expected range, then this is an indication that a person is in good health. Results that are just slightly out of range are typically not something to worry about either, although a medical provider may request additional investigation. When results are fully out of range, then additional testing will be required to determine what the health issue may be.