Not all blood tests require you to fast, but you should always follow your doctor’s instructions if you do need to fast for a specific exam. Blood tests are common procedures that healthcare providers ...

Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with any advertisers on this site. Sometimes it may feel like almost every visit to the doctor includes a dreaded blood draw. Blood tests can reveal a ...

Blood draws for several kinds of diagnostic tests require you to fast for several hours. Eating or drinking anything besides water can skew the results, leading to you needing to be retested. You may ...

The blood test that detects nicotine is called a cotinine test. It measures recent tobacco use and exposure. Cotinine is a chemical that comes from the breakdown of nicotine in the body. A blood test ...

Lindsay Modglin is a nurse and professional writer who regularly writes about complex medical topics, as well as travel and the great outdoors. She holds a professional certificate in scientific ...

RSV is short for respiratory syncytial virus. It’s a virus that can cause respiratory infections in your lungs, nose, and throat. It’s best to test for RSV soon after your symptoms start. That’s ...

It can take months or years for doctors to determine whether people with early signs of memory loss have Alzheimer's disease. But experts say a new generation of blood tests may replace the expensive ...