How to Read Common Blood Tests

At almost any checkup, we give blood samples because they're a really good indicator for our general health. Most of us don't have any idea what the results for the test mean. Here's a basic guide for knowing what the results to your blood tests mean.

Instructions

• 1

  Read your test results. Find your RBC count value on the sheet. A normal range is 4.5 to 5.9 million/mm3 for men and 4.0 to 5.3 million/mm3 for women. The RBC is the count for red blood cells in one cubic millimeter of blood. The MCV is an index related to the RBC. It's the size of the red blood cells. Its normal range is somewhere between 80 and 96.

• 2

  Look up your hemoglobin reading. A normal reading is somewhere from 14 to 18 g/dl for men and 12 to 16 g/dl for women. Your hematocrit reading is related to hemoglobin, and a normal reading is between 40 and 54 for men and 37 and 47 for women. Doctors use low hematocrit test results to diagnose anemia.

• 3

  Find the reading labeled WBC on the blood test results. The WBC is the count for white blood cells in a cubic millimeter of blood. A normal reading for an adult is somewhere between 3800 and 10800. Children and infants have much higher readings for WBC. Your White Cell Differential is the percentage of different kinds of disease fighting white blood cells in your body. The normal levels for PMNs are 55 to 80 percent, for lymphocytes it's 25 to 33 percent and for monocytes it's 3 to 7 percent.

• 4

  Check the reading for your platelets. The number of platelets is one measure of how well your blood clots. It isn't the only indicator. People with counts as low as 50,000 have survived accidents with no internal bleeding, and some people with normal counts still have problems with hemophilia. A normal range is between 150,000 and 300,000.

• 5

  See the reading for total cholesterol. Disputes are common about good and bad cholesterol and how involved it is in heart disease and heart failure. Look at the American Heart Disease website for more information about the most current theories and treatments.

• 6

  Take a look at your amalyse reading on your blood test. It's a measure of an enzyme made by your saliva and pancreas and can indicate infections in your pancreas. The normal levels should be between 25 and 125 milliunits/ml. Another enzyme you find in blood tests known as CPK or CK. The normal levels are 12-170 milliunits/ml with slightly lower readings for women than men.

• 7

  Measure your kidney functions with SGPT, alkaline phosphate, SGOT, LDH and total bilirubin measurements and your liver function BUN and creatinine. The kidney functions differ with different individuals and you need to ask your doctor what your results mean. Normal BUN levels run from 10 to 20 mg/dl and creatinine should be 0.6 to 1.2 mg/dl.