Medical Questions » Pathology Questions » Question No. 777
| Question: | On a routine blood test, my ESR was high, and now my GP keeps ordering new tests to find out why. What could this mean? |
| Answer: | The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a frequently performed blood test that gives an indication of inflammation, infection or cancer in the body, but gives no indication of where the disease is located, or the nature of the disease. It is a measure of the rate at which erythrocytes (red blood cells) settle in a thin tube. The higher the rate, the more significant the result.
It is a warning sign to doctors to watch out for some significant disease, but may be raised in anything from a simple viral infection or pregnancy to a heart attack or most types of cancer.
It is sensible to find out whether the cause for your raised ESR is serious or inconsequential. If the level rapidly returns to normal, there is usually nothing to be concerned about, but if it continues to rise test after test, the cause must be found.
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