[The medical laboratory in preventive care]

Abstract

Preventive care has the aim to prevent the occurrence of disease and to detect disease at an early stage, in order to allow for timely interventions. Before tests can be implemented into routine prevention care, several criteria have to be satisfied. Laboratory tests such as fasting glucose, lipids, fecal occult blood testing are widely used within preventive programs. The use of other parameters, such as PSA, TSH, creatinine, urine albumin (albumin/creatinine ration, ACR) similarly might get an important role. This article focuses on the role of laboratory tests in preventive care with a special emphasis on recommendations on their use in Central Europe.