How to understand the results of a blood test

A blood test (also known by the name of blood test or blood analytical) is a routine test that helps to know our state of health.

It contains a series of useful parameters to discover if we suffer or not a certain disease, or if it is even convenient to adopt a series of habits or measures to reduce some parameters or prevent their increase.

Although the blood test It is routine and important, it is usual for many people to collect their results, analyze their data, but do not really know what each parameter is.

Precisely for understand a blood test, it is convenient to have useful guidance in this regard.

Understand and understand a blood test

Uric acid

This parameter is useful in the diagnosis of gout, a condition that affects men more than women. It usually increases in diets rich in purines, consumption of diuretic drugs or salicylates.

    • Normal values ​​of uric acid: 3.5 to 7.2 mg / dL

Albumin

It is a protein that stores water inside blood vessels.

  • Normal values ​​of albumin: 3.4 to 5.4 grams per deciliter (g / dL).

Aspartate-Aminotransferase (AST or GOT)

It is an enzyme that we find mainly in the liver, heart and muscles. It is a good indicator to know the state of the liver, which is done together with ALT, ALP and bilirubin.

  • Normal values ​​of AST: 10 to 34 UI / L.

Total bilirubin

It is the pigment in the blood that makes the plasma or blood serum yellow. It is an indicator to know the state of the liver, which is done together with the AST, ALT and ALP. It is common that when their levels are high, both the skin and the eyes become yellowish.

    • Normal values ​​of direct or conjugated bilirubin: 0 to 0.3 mg / dL.
    • Normal values ​​of indirect or unconjugated bilirubin: less than 1.0 mg / ml.
    • Normal values ​​of total bilirubin: 0.3 to 1.9 mg / dL.

Cholesterol

It is an essential sanitary fat for our organism, although too high levels are related to a higher risk of suffering a heart disease or disorders related to the obstruction of the blood vessels.

    • Normal values ​​of cholesterol: 120 to 220 mg / dl.

Creatinine

Its concentration depends on the amount of muscle the person has and the ability of the kidneys to excrete it (eliminate it from the body). For this reason, its increase alerts to the existence of possible deterioration of the kidneys.

    • Normal values ​​of creatinine: 0.8 to 1.4 mg / dL.

Alkaline phosphatase

We find it especially in body tissues, but especially in bones and liver. It is common to increase when bones grow, but also in case of bone or liver diseases.

  • Normal values ​​of alkaline phosphatase: 20 to 140 IU / L.

Gamma-Glutamyltransferase (GGT)

We find it especially in the liver. For this reason it is usually increased when a lot of alcohol or drugs are consumed, there is an obstructive disease of the liver or some disease in the hepatic ducts.

  • Normal values ​​of the GGT: 5-40 U / l in men and 5-30 U / l in women.

Glucose

It is the main source of energy for all living organisms, although their high or low levels can be a sign of the existence of a disease. In this sense, high glucose levels after 12 hours of fasting may indicate diabetes. However, low levels may occur in the case of tumors or liver diseases.

    • Normal values ​​of glucose: 72 to 110 mg / dl.

Triglycerides

It is a blood fat that is obtained largely from the absorption of dietary fat. It is done together with cholesterol analysis.

    • Normal values ​​of triglycerides: 40 to 160 mg / dl in men and 35 to 135 mg / dl in women.

As we see, there are many values ​​of a blood test that usually appear in the result, although it is also true that there are many more, these are the most common and usual.

It is possible that these blood results differ from one laboratory to another. For any questions, consult your doctor. This article is published for informational purposes only. It can not and should not replace the consultation with a Physician. We advise you to consult your Trusted Doctor. ThemesBlood test

Tracking cancer with a blood test (December 2023)