Understanding Your Lab Reports
Medical jargon can be confusing. We’ve broken down the most common blood tests so you can take charge of your health.
The Anatomy of a Lab Report
Your actual tested value. If it's highlighted in bold or red, it usually means it falls outside the normal range.
The "normal" baseline for a healthy person. This can vary slightly depending on your age, gender, and the lab's specific equipment.
Measurements like mg/dL or IU/L. Always ensure you are looking at the correct unit when comparing online.
Common Test Breakdowns
A CBC evaluates your overall health and detects a variety of disorders, including anemia, infection, and leukemia.
- Hemoglobin (Hb): Carries oxygen. Low: Anemia, iron deficiency. High: Dehydration, lung issues.
- White Blood Cells (WBC): Fights infection. Low: Autoimmune issues, bone marrow failure. High: Active infection, inflammation.
- Platelets: Helps blood clot. Low: Risk of bleeding (e.g., Dengue). High: Risk of abnormal clotting.
- Red Blood Cells (RBC): Carries oxygen to tissues. Closely tied to Hemoglobin levels.
Measures the amount of cholesterol and fats (triglycerides) in your blood to assess heart disease risk.
- Total Cholesterol: Overall amount of cholesterol. Ideally below 200 mg/dL.
- HDL (Good Cholesterol): Helps remove bad cholesterol. Higher is better (ideally > 40-50 mg/dL).
- LDL (Bad Cholesterol): Can build up in arteries. Lower is better (ideally < 100 mg/dL).
- Triglycerides: Fat from unburned calories. High levels increase heart risk. (Ideally < 150 mg/dL).
Checks how well your thyroid gland is working, which controls your body's metabolism.
- TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone): The master controller. High TSH usually means Underactive Thyroid (Hypothyroidism). Low TSH means Overactive Thyroid (Hyperthyroidism).
- Total T3 & T4: The actual hormones produced by the thyroid. These usually move in the opposite direction of TSH.
Measures proteins, liver enzymes, and bilirubin to check for liver damage or disease.
- SGPT (ALT) & SGOT (AST): Enzymes found in the liver. High levels indicate liver stress, damage, or fatty liver.
- Bilirubin: A waste product from broken red blood cells. High levels cause jaundice (yellowing of skin/eyes).
- Albumin: A protein made by the liver. Low levels can indicate chronic liver or kidney issues.
Monitors glucose levels to diagnose and manage prediabetes and diabetes.
- Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS): Taken after 8-10 hours of fasting. (Normal: < 100 mg/dL).
- Post Prandial (PP): Taken 2 hours after a meal. Checks how the body handles sugar intake.
- HbA1c (Glycosylated Hemoglobin): A 3-month average of your blood sugar. Much more reliable than a single daily test. (Normal: < 5.7%).
Important Medical Disclaimer
This guide is provided by Agam Diagnostics for educational purposes only. Lab reference ranges can vary. Never adjust medications or start treatments based solely on this guide. Always consult with your prescribing doctor or a clinical pathologist to interpret your exact results.