Diagnostics
Understanding your blood test results
A short guide to the numbers on a routine blood report and what they usually mean.
A blood report usually lists a measurement, a reference range and a unit. The reference range describes values seen in most healthy people; it is a guide, not a verdict.
A single value outside the range may be caused by dehydration, a recent illness, medication or the time of day the sample was taken. Trends over time are usually more informative than one result.
Bring previous reports to your consultation so your doctor can compare values and decide whether further testing is needed.
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