Chemical pathology is the study of chemical and biochemical mechanisms of the body in relation to disease, mostly through the analysis of body fluids such as blood or urine. In many diseases there are significant changes in the chemical composition of body fluids such as the raised blood enzymes due to their release from heart muscles after a heart attack, or a raised blood sugar in diabetes mellitus due to lack of insulin. Tests are designed to detect these changes qualitatively or quantitatively compared to results from healthy people. Chemical pathology includes: General or routine chemistry – commonly ordered blood chemistries, e.g. electrolytes, blood gases, lipids, liver and kidney function tests Special chemistry – elaborate techniques such as electrophoresis, and manual testing methods Clinical endocrinology – the study of hormones, and diagnosis of endocrine disorders