What Do Your Blood Test Results Mean? A Doctor's Guide to Interpreting Blood Results After 50
Are you confused about your blood work? That's understandable. It isn't very clear. For example, what do all the red numbers mean? Is that something you need to be concerned about? Let's take a closer look at what blood work can tell you and debunk some of the misconceptions about it.
How to Read Lab Work
What Is a CBC?
CBC stands for a complete blood count. The name describes it pretty well. It is an analysis and count of the levels of blood cells in a sample.
WBC
One of the first things a primary care doctor will look at in a CBC is the white blood cell count, or WBC. White blood cells help protect your body from infection. When the levels are high, it can mean that you have an infection somewhere. For example, a doctor would expect the white blood cell count to be high if you have pneumonia.
A high WBC can also mean there is inflammation somewhere or even be a sign of malignancy. If the WBC is high, the doctor will want to know why. If it is only slightly elevated, they might decide to retest it later.
Hemoglobin
The next critical number a primary care doctor will look at is hemoglobin. This is an indicator of the level of red blood cells you have. Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells.
If your hemoglobin is low, it could mean you are anemic or have a low red blood cell count. That would leave you feeling tired and short of breath. You might also have pale skin.
Anemia can mean your body can't produce enough red blood cells due to a nutritional deficiency. For example, you might have too little iron in your diet.
Low hemoglobin may also be a sign of bleeding. It might mean you have a bleeding ulcer, for example. Sometimes bleeding happens inside, and low hemoglobin is the first sign of it.
Platelets
A primary care doctor will also look at the platelet level shown in a CBC. Platelets are the part of your blood that allows for clotting. Low platelet numbers can indicate nutritional deficiencies, infection, bone marrow, or autoimmune disease.
A CBC shows some significant numbers that allow the doctor to know if you have the following:
Infection
Inflammation
Malignancy
Nutrition deficiency
Bleeding
Basic Metabolic Panel
A basic metabolic panel measures electrolytes in your blood. This tells the doctor valuable information about your health. Like the CBC, your primary care physician will look closely at specific vital readings.
Sodium
Low levels of sodium can potentially mean dehydration. When someone is severely dehydrated, they can be confused and have headaches. For example, if you have severe food poisoning, it might mean you can't eat or drink for days. That would lead to dehydration. Unchecked dehydration can cause kidney and brain damage.
Potassium
High potassium levels are potentially serious because they can lead to heart arrhythmias or irregular heartbeat. One common cause of high potassium is poor kidney function. When the kidneys are not working well, they can't excrete the potassium and the levels of it in the blood rise.
High potassium can also be an adverse reaction to common blood pressure medications. Some doctors will check potassium levels when a patient takes blood pressure medication to ensure there isn't an issue.
Creatinine
Your doctor will also look closely at the creatinine level. Creatinine is a waste product created when creatine and amino acids in the body are broken down to give energy to muscles. High levels of creatinine are a key indicator of compromised kidneys. The doctor will want to find out why they are not working well.
Lipid Panel
Lipid panel results are ones a lot of people fear because the test measures cholesterol levels in the blood. A doctor will look closely at the LDL level. LDL is what some people call "bad" cholesterol.
High LDL levels might have less to do with diet than you realize. Research indicates that the body produces 75 percent of the LDL in the blood. Only 25 percent comes from food. When you see high numbers for LDL cholesterol, automatically cutting out fat, some of which is healthy, might not be the answer.
Some of the things more likely to contribute to high LDL levels include:
Obesity
Sedentary lifestyle
Alcohol consumption
Excessive sugar and carbohydrate intake
Instead of eliminating fat, the doctor might tell you to focus on losing five to 10 percent of your body weight. That can drop triglyceride levels by 25 percent.
More Guidance for Healthy Living 50+
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