Routine Tests
Most hospitals order routine laboratory tests before admission for surgery. Tests like urinalysis, chest x-rays, or complete blood counts can find potential problems. If they aren’t found and treated, they might complicate the surgery. Mary Pat Couig, R.N., is associate director for nursing affairs at the FDA. She says when you face surgery you need to talk with your doctor. You need to ask about the tests you need before the surgery. The following chart shows some tests commonly done before surgery. It also shows the symptoms that prompt doctors to order them.
| TEST | SYMPTOMS |
|---|---|
| chest x-ray | shortness of breath chest pain cough fever without other source abnormal sounds |
| electrocardiogram (EKG) | chest pain palpitations arrhythmia murmur distant heart sound |
| urinalysis | frequency hesitancy discharge side pain kidney disease diabetes use of drugs known to cause kidney disease |
| white blood count | fever suspicion of infection use of drugs known to affect white blood cell counts |
| platelet count | blood loss easy bruising alcoholism use of drugs known to affect platelet count |
| glucose | excessive sweating with tremor or anxiety muscle weakness diabetes pancreatitis cystic fibrosis altered mental status alcoholism |
| potassium | vomiting diarrhea congestive heart failure kidney failure muscle weakness tissue damage hypertension diabetes use of drugs known to affect potassium levels |
| Sodium | vomiting diarrhea excessive sweating thirst or fluid intake pulmonary disease central nervous system disease congestive heart failure cirrhosis |
