Blood test results help your doctor identify infections and allergies or diagnose potential diseases and conditions such as anemia and leukemia. Most clients have scores within the lab normal range. The characteristics of test population may also affect results. While interpreting blood tests are best left to a physician, it may be helpful to understand what the test is looking for, and whats considered a normal result. What doesnt always make sense is the baffling list of medical terms on the blood test results that are often part of routine exams. The ultimate guide to decoding your blood test results. The complete blood count, or cbc, is a lab test that provides information about these circulating cells. When my test results arrived, they came with a warning from the facility to go see a doctor. Unless the test results are cleareither you are pregnant or youre notyour doctor will rarely make a decision or diagnosis based only on the results of a lab test. Running or any highintensity exercise can cause slight dehydration and show up as kidney insufficiency.
As i have to have a lot of blood tests it is good to read and understand what the results mean. It is highly possible that you will require a blood test at one point in your life. Understanding your cbc complete blood count test results 2 comments advice posts, blood tests by admin know your blood is a participant in the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to. Even if the laboratory labels a result as being abnormal, this does not necessarily mean that there is a problem. The aha refers to these high measurements as a hypertensive crisis. See list below or call us should you question your lab normal score.
Know boxes provide additional key facts as quick references throughout the book. Understanding your blood test results reveals line by line how to read the data available to you on a lab report and tells you what it means about your current state of health. You will know if you are currently challenged by, or at risk for anemia, diabetes, heart disease, bacterial and viral infections, parasitic activity, inflammatory. You can become literate in your blood test results. Monitoring your blood glucose levels is an important step in managing your diabetes. What are we actually measuring and why does this matter.
In general, normal bun levels range from 620 mgdl in adults. Increasingly, people are having direct access to their pathology test results and with the introduction of the australian governments my health record. If youre having surgeryeven a minor procedurethe doctor may order blood tests. You will know if you are currently challenged by, or at risk for anemia, diabetes, heart disease, bacterial and viral infections, parasitic activity, inflammatory arthritis, and more. A lab instrument then automatically counts the number of each type of circulating cell.
And instead of seeing a doctor, ive been thinking about how to write this post how to describe my carnivore diet blood work in the most helpful way. In this case, width refers to a measurement of distribution, not the size of the cells. Need help with interpreting or understanding blood test results. You likely will not experience any symptoms from it. It will then be sent to a laboratory where it will be examined under a microscope or tested with chemicals, depending on whats being checked. Doctors perform the platelet count blood test on its own or as part of a complete blood count cbc test. A practical guide to interpreting blood test results 2nd revised edition by dr graham basten isbn. Following is a general example of the results of a blood test, a cholesterol blood test.
Taking time to unravel the mystery of your blood panel results is well worth the effort, since it can reveal a great deal about your overall health status. Understanding blood test results is easy, if you know what to look out for. A sunburn can elevate white blood cell count, which typically signals inflammation. How to read it and natural ways to improve your results. The lab found whatever your doctor was testing for. This book was originally written after feedback suggested that storytelling was very helpful to students and practitioners wanting to remember blood tests and. Knowing your numbers will also help inform your doctor about changes you may need to make to your treatment plan. Learn whats considered normal, as recommended by the american heart association. Understanding your blood test results with michael klaper md. I am 67 yrs old and getting concerned that my blood levels keep changing and to my reasoning after reading this. Blood results in clinical practice clinical investigations books. Learn more about how a cbc is done, what it measures, and what the results mean.
A complete blood count cbc is usually a part of your yearly physical exam. How to read and understand medical laboratory results. This should be a book to use as a reference, not a dvd. Understanding blood test result common blood tests. The results give information on the components of a persons blood. The best person to help you understand your results is the doctor who ordered the test.
This is the main pigment in bile and the major product of haemoglobin catabolism. Your guide to understanding blood tests numbers and results. There are numerous blood test abbreviations, knowledge of these abbreviations will help you ascertain what blood tests results mean, and help you gather a clear understanding of blood tests. Look for the blood test abbreviations in alphabetical order.
A blood test is typically composed of three main tests. Understanding your results is key to controlling high blood pressure. Anyone in the same boat then this is the book for your library. There are many variables that must be considered when interpreting the results of any laboratory or diagnostic test. Statistics show that physicians spend an average of nine minutes with each patient, not nearly enough time to understand the complexity of blood work. Understanding the complete blood count cbc sonora quest. Sample test results and specific blood test results explained. Please look at the understanding blood test results page for more help with reading and interpreting your blood tests. The serum creatinine test provides a sensitive measure of renal damage because renal impairment is virtually the only cause of creatinine elevation. These results are usually written as positive or negative. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. If you have enough tests done, something will eventually show up as abnormal. A nonsymptomatic cold virus can raise or lower white blood cell count.
If youre waiting for lab test results to come back or youre trying to figure out what they mean, the process and all those medical terms and numbers can be confusing. To read blood test results, scan the results and look for anything labeled l, which means its too low, or h, which means its too high. Wbc white blood cell count part of the cbc test blood tests are one of a doctors basic tools to check your health or test for certain conditions, illnesses, and abnormalities. So if you had a test for strep throat, testing positive means you do have strep throat.
If you have any questions about your test results, discuss them. Blood test results that identify prediabetes dummies. Yfh uses its 40 year data base to compute your optimum. Higher bun levels can indicate dehydration, kidney failure or disease, high protein levels, heart failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, or obstruction in the urinary tract. How to read it and natural ways to improve your results wagner, dr. A blood pressure reading above 180120 mm hg indicates a serious health problem. Results, relevant ranges, and alerts are highlighted for illustrative purposes. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that.
If youre like most patients, youve probably looked over the alphabet soup of acronyms and abbreviations in your blood test results and wondered what it all means. Your doctor has ordered blood tests, but do you know how to read the results. Understanding blood pressure readings american heart. They can show small changes before problems get serious. A guide for nurses and allied health professionals third edition 27 may, 2014 by ibadete fetahu primarily it would be helpful to both those in a hospital or community setting that deal with patients blood results and wish to gain a grasp or why the tests are ordered and initial interpretation. But allowing prediabetes to develop into diabetes will most definitely lead to symptoms, which is exactly what you want to avoid. Women that menstruate will show a lower iron level than men due to. Understanding common blood tests and what they mean. Buy routine blood results explained 2rev ed by andrew blann isbn. Liver disease, anemia, nutritional deficiencies, and a number of health conditions could cause high or low rdw results. To better understand your lab report, its helpful to recognize the.
If results from the automated instrument are outside specified limits, a medical. The time of day, fasting, postprandial, supine, upright, age, gender, climate, effects of drugs, and the effects of diet may all affect test results. After the blood sample has been taken, it will be put into a bottle and labelled with your name and details. Creatinine is a nitrogenous metabolic substance in muscle and blood and excreted in the urine. If you have a low red blood cell count, it could mean that you have anemia, whereas a high red blood cell count could indicate bone marrow disease. First, a sample of your blood is collected and sent to the lab.
Good blood tests make possible stateoftheart lab procedures that can be provided directly to the public in private and these blood tests can be provided affordably. For clarification on blood test abbreviations other than those listed above just ask your medical professional. All blood and urine tests must include certain basic elements. The blood test abbreviations guide is here to help you. Normal blood tests scores simply arent good enough. With this test, we get an idea of the shape and size of red blood cells. How to read your wellness blood test results walkin lab. Blood tests are done to help watch your bodys response to treatment. The only way to know if you have high blood pressure hbp, or hypertension is to have your blood pressure tested. Blood test results reveal blood disorders in blood tests and also with a blood test with rare blood types. Understanding what is normal and what is abnormal can be a little daunting. Understanding your lab test results american cancer society. This book was originally written after feedback suggested that storytelling was very helpful to students and practitioners wanting to remember blood tests and their. In this case, positive doesnt necessarily mean good and negative doesnt necessarily mean bad.
Reading your results lab tests online au blood test. When you have cancer it often seems like someone is always taking blood for some kind of test. With your newly acquired understanding of the terms and. Each test for different things, which can be understood through a detailed analysis of the results. A practical guide to interpreting blood test results. So to empower readers, here is a simplified guide to understanding your blood test results. This healthhearty article presents useful information on blood test results for common tests like a complete blood count, hemoglobin test, and glucose test. Instead, he or she will use the results of your tests along with information about your health, gender, age, and other factors. Blood test results your complete guide to understanding. Understanding your cbc complete blood count test results. Blood test results explained health testing centers. Blood sugar, or glucose, is the main sugar found in your blood.
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