Medicine and Surgery

Pathophysiology, Clinical Biochemistry, and Laboratory Diagnostics of Hemostasis. Overview of the vascular and platelet phases; the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems: key plasma factors involved and their alterations. Laboratory diagnostics in the exploration of the platelet phase and the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems, in relation to thrombotic and hemorrhagic conditions. Major lipoprotein classes, enzymatic activities, receptors, and apoproteins involved in lipid metabolism. Intracellular and systemic regulation of cholesterol. Methods for measuring cholesterol and triglycerides. Calculation of LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol. Classification of primary and secondary dyslipidemias. Concept and assessment of vascular risk and atherosclerotic disease. New markers: homocysteine, Lp(a), and hsCRP. Liver function assessment: parameters for studying cytolysis, cholestasis, and protein biosynthesis. Differential diagnosis of jaundice. Laboratory diagnostics of cardiac diseases: creatine kinase, creatine kinase MB fraction, myoglobin, troponins, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, BNP, and proBNP. Angina, myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure: laboratory tests. Pancreatic function assessment. Exocrine function assessment: amylase, lipase, and trypsin. Acute and chronic pancreatitis. Endocrine function assessment: insulin, glucagon, incretin, somatostatin, C-peptide, and HOMA-IR index. Type I and II diabetes mellitus and hypoglycemia: laboratory tests. Ideal characteristics of a tumor marker and its use in clinical practice. The concept of threshold (standard/pathological/neoplastic). Classification of tumor markers. Phenotypic tumor markers: oncofetal and tumor-associated antigens, tumor-secreted hormones, enzymes, and proteins as tumor markers.

The diagnosis of disease in the clinical laboratory. Laposata