Understanding Blood Test Results: A Patient Guide

Decoding Your Lab Report

Blood tests provide valuable insights into your health, but the numbers and abbreviations can be confusing. Here's what they mean.

Complete Blood Count (CBC)

This test measures various components of your blood:

• Hemoglobin (Hb): Normal range is 12-16 g/dL for women, 14-18 g/dL for men
• WBC Count: 4,000-11,000 cells/μL is normal
• Platelet Count: 150,000-400,000 per μL

Lipid Profile

Measures cholesterol levels:

• Total Cholesterol: Less than 200 mg/dL is desirable
• LDL (Bad): Less than 100 mg/dL is optimal
• HDL (Good): 60 mg/dL or higher is protective

Blood Glucose

Fasting blood sugar of 70-99 mg/dL is normal. Values above 126 mg/dL may indicate diabetes.

When to Seek Help

Always discuss abnormal results with your doctor. A single abnormal value doesn't necessarily indicate disease.