Getting regular health checkups is crucial for everyone, including marathon-runners and professional athletes, say experienced doctors in London. On the other hand, typical medical terms used in a blood test report throw a lot of confusion for the ordinary people. Thus, doctors at a private blood test centre in the city make the effort to educate you to decipher the necessary information in a typical blood test report across the following paragraphs of this blog post.
What is the importance of blood test results?
Blood oo the fluid connective tissue in the human body performs two vital functions:
- Delivers oxygen to every living cell and
- Removes toxic wastes
Certain body organs – like the kidney, lungs, liver and others – play the role of processing stations. Normal values that are mentioned in a lab report point to healthy organ function. Moreover that also indicates fully operational body systems.
It is relevant mentioning that test values that are out of range do not necessarily indicate an imminent disease. Such test values are often influenced by many other factors for each person like age, gender, medical history, body weight, lifestyle, medications and others. Therefore, it is best to leave it on your doctor to determine your normal range.
Reading blood test reports
A sample of blood usually undergoes 3 main tests to complete a routine check-up, which include the following:
- CBC or complete blood count
- CMP or comprehensive metabolic panel and
- Lipid panel or only profile
These tests give multiple specific results. In alternative approach, your report may not group the results under the 3 different tests; rather show a single column of test results.
If you want to better understand a blood lab report, it is important recognising the relationship of the test results.
CBC or complete blood count
In plain, simple words a CBC shows the measure of essential components of your blood. The essential components are:
- Red blood cells or RBCs
- White blood cells or WBCs and
- Platelets
In addition to that CBC also takes count of haemoglobin present in your blood. Haemoglobin is a protein that carries oxygen in the blood. The test also measures the ratio of your RBCs to your blood fluid or plasma.
Blood tests are helpful identifying allergies and infections. They also ascertain potential medical conditions like leukaemia and anaemia.
WBC count
Other name of the white blood cells is leukocytes. They are not only a major blood component but also play a vital role in building up your immunity. Human body produces more WBCs than usual when you are affected by an allergic reaction or infection. WBCs can further be divided in 5 groups. WBC count offers helpful insight about your heart health, say doctors conducting blood tests in a private clinic in London.
A high WBC count is often precursor of heart disease and particularly stroke. This is more alarming for smokers.
RBC count
RBCs bring fresh oxygen to every living cell in the body. A higher RBC count is usually connected with kidney problems, dehydration or a heart disease. Alternatively, a low RBC count indicates anaemia, kidney problems, damaged bone marrow or lack of well-balanced diet.
Fatty liver is a health condition in which layers of fat build up in the liver preventing it from normal functioning. A high RBC count also indicates development of fatty liver condition. It can be a warning signal for individuals to develop Type 2 diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol.
Tinier components like haemoglobin, haematocrit and others
These findings also come under RBC section of a blood report. An average Haemoglobin count assures the doctor that your tissues and body organs are getting sufficient oxygen through the blood.
Haematocrit level indicates the blood volume that is taken up by red blood cells. When you have a low haematocrit count, it usually indicates anaemia, vitamin deficiency or blood loss. Similarly a high level indicates liver problem, heart disease or dehydration.
In clinical term, blood cells are called corpuscles. Mean corpuscle value indicates the average size of your red blood cells. When your RBCs are of abnormal size, you may have developed anaemia or vitamin B 12 deficiencies.
Mean corpuscular haemoglobin is the average quantity of haemoglobin in your RBCs. MCHC is the shortened form of mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and indicates the average percentage of haemoglobin present in your RBCs.
Understanding Platelets and mean platelet value or MPV
According to doctors at a reputed clinic for private blood test, platelets are blood cell fragments and they play two crucial functions:
- Healing of wounds
- Form clots to prevent excessive bleeding
Anything below 150,000 platelets per mcL or micro-litre is considered low and indicates the chances of excessive bleeding. 400,000 platelets per mcL or higher is considered a high count and it indicates higher chances of blood clots.
The average quantity of platelets is measured by the mean platelet value in any blood test report. It is useful diagnosing bone marrow and bleeding disorders. Moreover, the count also provides clue to inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular diseases.
WBC types
White blood cells or WBCs are of 5 types:
- Basophils
- Eosinophils
- Neutrophils
- Lymphocytes
- Monocytes
The quantity and condition of these cells prove helpful identifying allergies and infections.
- Neutrophils are immune cells that reach an infection site before the rest.
- Basophils are also different types of immune cell present in your body. They carry tiny enzymes that are released when you suffer an asthma attack or allergic reaction.
CMP or comprehensive metabolic panel
This range of tests offers a clear picture of your metabolism and chemical balance inside your body. Metabolism is the term that covers all the chemical and physical processes occurring inside the body. These processes use up energy.
Electrolytes
The CMP also gives a clear picture of electrolytes and minerals present in the body. These substances affect the fluid level in the body, muscle function, acidity of the blood and such other information. Usually a CMP test looks for common electrolytes like magnesium, calcium, chloride, sodium, potassium and phosphorus.
Albumin, bilrubin and creatinine
A CMP test also measures 3 substances, namely albumin, bilirubin and creatinine.
When haemoglobin breaks down, bilurubin is formed. Excessive bilirubin level indicates jaundice and the substances is found in a person’s blood and bile.
The protein present in the blood plasma is called albumin. It is the yellowish fluid part of your blood and is the carrier of the blood cells. Liver and kidney diseases, malnutrition and inflammation are diagnosed by low albumin level of an individual.
Creatine supplies energy to our muscles. Creatinine is the biochemical waste created by creatine, which is used as a popular health supplement. The kidneys are in charge of removing creatinine from the body. Higher levels of creatinine in the blood indicate the kidneys are not working properly.
Fasting glucose test
A fasting glucose test is a part of the CMP. It requires you fasting for at least 8 hours in advance. The main source of energy of your body is glucose. Higher glucose level in blood is a sign of diabetes.
Glucose is simple sugar. Your body gets its supply of glucose from carbohydrates. Blood samples for fast glucose test should better be collected in early morning, so that you do not have to starve or be in empty stomach for long.
Lipid panel test
Body fat is bad but different kinds of fat are also there in your body. Lipid is one such good fat. The inner body mechanism breaks down lipid to get energy. Lipid panel involves a range of tests to measure two types of fat present in the blood, namely triglycerides and cholesterol.
One of the major types of fat that the liver produces is the triglyceride. Sugary and fatty food items, alcohol and such other items affect the triglyceride level. Other factors that lead to this condition include liver problem, thyroid issues and genes.
Cholesterol is of two types:
- HDL or high-density lipoprotein – It takes extra cholesterol from the blood to the liver for disposal. It is also called good cholesterol. Higher level of HDL lowers the risk of cardiovascular issues for an individual.
- LDL or low-density lipo-protein – It carries cholesterol to specific body parts where cell repairing is needed. It is called bad cholesterol because it increase the risk of diseases related to the heart and blood vessels, including coronary artery disease.
Ideally you need maintaining the right balance between bad and good cholesterol to maintain a healthy heart. And to maintain the right balance, you must lead a healthy lifestyle, say doctors providing blood tests in London in private.
Higher levels of triglyceride in the blood are not good because that puts an individual at higher risk of suffering heart attacks and blood vessel diseases. We also started Covid 19 Blood tests in London home kit with pickup and delivery of report with Zero contact.
