Blood Test Results Explained

A blood test is a crucial aspect, when it comes to the maintenance of our health. Many times, there are problems that go unnoticed unless we perform a blood test. Or in some cases, it so happens that we fall sick and then if at all we sense a problem only then we go for blood tests. We all have been through these tests, and there is nothing unusual about them. What happens though, is that after we get the blood test report, we are totally zonked out by the medical terminology and the figures. So in this article, I am going to make an attempt to make this job a little bit easier for you.

Blood test Results: An Interpretation

Complete Blood Count

• Hemoglobin: If the hemoglobin report reads anything between 13 to 15.5 grams/deciliter, it is a normal range for an adult male or female.
• Red Blood Count: Normal reading for a healthy adult male is 4.7 to 6.1/cubic mm, and for a normal adult female, it is 4.2 to 5.4/cubic mm.
• Hematocrit: It is the relative percent of the blood composed of the red blood cells. The average, normal reading for the hematocrit value is 38.5 to 49.0%.
• Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV): This is an indicator of the size of your red blood cells. The normal range is 80 to 97. If the readings are on the lower side, it might be inferred as anemia or any other blood disease.
• Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin: It represents the amount of hemoglobin in each of our blood cells. So, compare that with hemoglobin and hematocrit values. Now in relation to these two, see what is the total. If these values all together are between 27.5 and 33.5, then it is normal.

Thyroid Test

• TSH for Adults: Normal thyroid blood test results for adults are between 0.4 and 4.5 milli-international units/liter.
• TSH for Babies: For babies, the readings are different. The normal range is from 3 to 18 mIU/L or 3 to 18 mU/L.
• T3: This is another test to check the thyroid level. The normal reading for adults is 0.2 to 0.5 nanograms/deciliter.
• T4: This is yet another variation of the thyroid test. The normal readings for adults are 0.7 - 0.8 (lower limit) 1.4 to 1.5(uppr limit) ng/dL. For babies, it is 0.9 to 2.2 ng/dL.

These were the most common blood test results meanings. Blood test results for these tests, especially thyroid, are a bit more complicated to interpret, in comparison to the Hematological (red blood cells and platelets). Here are some more such tests.

Lipid Panel Test

Lipid panel test analyzes the level of types of fat in relation to cholesterol:

• LDL Cholesterol: The average level of LDL cholesterol for a healthy adult is less than 100mg/dL.
• HDL Cholesterol: Anything above 40 mg/dL for adult men and above 50 mg/dL for adult women, to determine HDL is considered to be normal. If it is less, speak to the doctor. If its more, then it is good, as HDL is good, healthy fat.
• Triglycerides: The blood test result meaning in case the figure is 150 mg/dL, is considered normal. If it is higher, speak to the doctor about it as to how it can be reduced.

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel

This test involves glucose levels, protein levels, sodium, calcium, and alkaline phosphatase and other electrolytes:

• Glucose: In a test done after fasting, the normal range is 65 to 70 mg/dL on the lower side, and on the higher side, it is 100 to 110 mg/dL.
• Uric Acid: The normal readings for uric acid test for females and males is - female between 2.0 to7.0 mg/dL and male between 2.1 to 8.5 mg/dL.
• Sodium: The normal reading is between 31 to 32 ml/dL (lower limit) and 33 to 34 mg/dL (upper limit).
• Potassium: The average and healthy level of potassium in our body is between 14 and 20 mg/dL, though 20 is a bit on the higher side.
• Creatinine: For females, the normal creatinine level is 0.8 to 1.1 mg/dL, and for males it is 0.8 to 1.3ml/dL.
• Calcium: Calcium count ranging from 8.4 - 8.5 and 10.2[6] - 10.5 mg/dL on the lower and higher side respectively is around average.

These were the prominent blood tests which normally can signify if there is any health problem. Blood tests other than these become very problem specific, and there is a huge list of such tests which you will find, if you refer to medical tests and tools. Test results are a matter of a meticulous scrutiny, and to explain blood test results, you just need a bit of practice and information about the root cause of the test.