The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), also called a sedimentation rate or Westergren ESR, is the rate at which red blood cells sediment in a period of one hour.It is a common hematology test, and is a non-specific measure of inflammation.
Test Overview. The sedimentation rate (sed rate) blood test measures how quickly red blood cells (erythrocytes) settle in a test tube in one hour. A sedimentation rate (sed rate) test is done to: 1  Find out if inflammation or infection is present. 2  Check on the progress of a disease. 3  See how well a treatment is working. An abnormal ESR result doesn’t diagnose any particular disease. It just identifies any inflammation in your body. This test isn’t always reliable or meaningful. Many factors, such as age or medication use, can alter your results. Abnormal results don’t tell your doctor what is actually wrong. An erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test is sometimes called a sedimentation rate test or sed rate test. This test doesn’t diagnose one specific condition. Instead, it helps your doctor determine whether you’re experiencing inflammation. The sedimentation rate test measures inflammation in the body. It is also called the sed rate or the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test. It is a blood test. It determines how quickly red blood cells sink in a tube of blood. The sedimentation rate test is used to diagnose, or to assess the progress of, inflammatory diseases, such arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica, and autoimmune disorders, such as lupus. It is sometimes used to help diagnose cancer and tuberculosis. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), also called a sedimentation rate or Westergren ESR, is the rate at which red blood cells sediment in a period of one hour. It is a common hematology test, and is a non-specific measure of inflammation. Sedimentation Rate (Sed Rate). Guide. The sedimentation rate (sed rate) blood test measures how quickly red blood cells (erythrocytes) settle in a test tube in one hour. The more red cells that fall to the bottom of the test tube in one hour, the higher the sed rate. Why It Is Done. A sedimentation rate (sed rate) test is done to: 1  Find out if inflammation or infection is present. 2  Check on the progress of a disease. 3  See how well a treatment is working. Details. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is an easy, inexpensive, nonspecific test that has been used for many years to help diagnose conditions associated with acute and chronic inflammation, including infections, cancers, and autoimmune diseases. 
http://www.cigna.com/healthwellness/hw/medical-tests/sedimentation-rate-hw43353 http://www.healthline.com/health/esr http://www.healthline.com/health/sedimentation-rate-test https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythrocyte_sedimentation_rate http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/sedimentation-rate http://www.walkinlab.com/heart-health-tests/sed-rate-esr-westergren-blood-test.html
what is the sed rate test