How to Understand Your Blood Test Results
You get your blood tested once a year as part of your annual physical. But when the results come back, do you know how to interpret them? Most people don’t know what blood tests are or what the blood test results mean.
But blood testing can give you important information about acute and chronic health conditions. This guide contains a list of the most common routine blood tests and how to read the results. It also explores some of the unique information you can get from blood test analysis.
Learn everything you wanted to know about blood test results below!
Routine Blood Tests
If you go to the doctor for a regular physical exam you may get your blood drawn for testing. There are a few general reasons doctors use blood tests.
First, to diagnose or rule out a condition. Second, to screen for a disease or to see if you are at a high risk of disease. Third, to monitor an existing disease or to see if a treatment is working. And finally, blood tests can be used as a way to check overall health.
The tests below are some of the most common blood tests you might get. Your results will usually indicate whether you are within a normal range or not. If you have specific questions about your results, talk to your doctor.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
A CBC is a routine blood test that doctors use to diagnose anemia or look for infections related to cancer. The results of the blood test tell you your red blood cell count, white blood cell count, and platelet count. If the CBC results are abnormal, your doctor may ask you to undergo further testing for related health conditions such as an autoimmune disorder.
Usually, you will see numbers associated with red and white blood cells and platelets along with a description if your count is within normal range. Don’t worry too much about the numbers as long as the results read “normal” or “within a normal range”.
Basic Metabolic Panel
A basic metabolism panel, sometimes called a chemistry panel, tells you how well parts of your body are functioning. The panel includes tests for your liver and kidney function including:
- Electrolytes
- Calcium
- Glucose
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Carbon dioxide
- Chloride
- Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
- Creatinine
Information from a blood test like a basic metabolic panel is used to see if you need further medical attention. A doctor may also recommend lifestyle changes based on these results.
Thyroid Function
A thyroid function test is a blood test to see how well your thyroid gland is working. Your thyroid gland controls metabolism, energy, and mood. There are a few different kinds of thyroid tests but the most common are T4 and TSH. T4 results will tell you whether you have an overactive thyroid.
The TSH test will tell you the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone in your body. Normal results are between 0.4 and 4.0 (mIU/L). The benefits of a blood test like the thyroid panel are mostly diagnostic. A doctor can tell you whether you need to be on medication for hypothyroidism.
Lipid Panel
A lipid panel tests for cholesterol. The results will have your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein or “bad” cholesterol. This is a fasting blood test which means you cannot eat for 8 hours before the test.
HDL is considered too high if it’s above 60 mg/dL and too low if it’s below 40 mg/dL (for men) and 50 mg/dL (for women). LDL is considered too high if it’s above 160 mg/dL and too low if it’s below 100 mg/dL. Results outside of this range could mean you are at a higher risk for heart disease.
Enzyme Markers
Enzymes are proteins found in the body. They help specific processes like blood clotting and digestion. There are four enzyme marker tests you might see as part of your routine blood test results:
- Creatine phosphokinase (CPK-1)
- CPK-2 (CK-MB)
- CPK-3
- Troponin
CPK-1 is found in the lungs and brain. CPK-2, CPK-3, and Troponin are found in the heart. These blood tests can show injury or damage to organs. When the enzyme levels are outside a normal range, a doctor may recommend further testing.
Sexually Transmitted Disease Testing
Depending on your age and lifestyle, your doctor may recommend STD testing as part of a regular blood test. They can test blood for the following conditions:
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Herpes
- HIV
- Syphilis
Many sexually transmitted diseases are relatively easy to treat. Your doctor may prescribe treatment based on your blood test results and a urine sample or a swab sample.
Less Common Blood Test Results
What can a blood test reveal about our health? The routine tests above can tell us how certain organs are functioning, whether we are at a higher risk of disease, or whether we need to make diet and exercise changes. But what else could blood test results tell us?
Here are some of the less commonly known conditions blood tests are used to diagnose:
- Concussion
- Risk of preeclampsia
- Colon cancer
- Depression
- Risk of Alzheimer’s
- Dehydration
- Autism in children
- Hearing loss
These test results are not part of your routine blood tests but a doctor may order them based on symptoms or because you request them. If you are interested in testing for any of these conditions, talk to your doctor.
The Importance of Blood Testing
It’s extraordinary what we can learn from a single blood test. And knowing how to interpret the blood test results is the first step. Blood testing allows doctors to learn more about their patients and patients to learn more about themselves. Most importantly, it can help people get and stay well.
If you are work in a health care setting and are in need of quality blood testing services, Precision Labs can help. We work with physician offices, home health care workers, nursing facilities, and traveling physicians. Learn more about us online or call us at 1-833-333-LABS.