This information is only a general guide. Specific interpretation, diagnosis and treatment need to be done by your health care provider. Normal levels may vary slightly.
Accucheck - see glucose
ALT - Normals are 52 or less. This is a liver enzyme which can leak out of liver cells during liver injury or inflammation subsequently entering the blood and elevating levels. Worrisome levels vary, and results of 100 or less may not always have significance. Common causes of elevation include excess alcohol use, medications, obesity, viral hepatitis and obstruction of the bile duct. Temporary elevations may occur during passage of a gallstone. This test is commonly monitored for many medications including some cholesterol medications.
AST - Normals are 45 or less. This is a liver enzyme which is very similar to ALT.
BUN (blood urea nitrogen) - Normals are 20 or less. This is a general measure of kidney function. However, it may be affected by many conditions not kidney related such as medications and fluid intake. Very high levels may cause weakness and nausea.
Cholesterol - see lipid profile
Creatinine (Cr) - Normals are 1.5 or less. This is a general measure of kidney function. Abnormal kidney function has many causes including long term high blood pressure or diabetes, medications, or severe blockage by an enlarged prostate. Kidney function also declines with age. Levels are less often affected by other conditions than is the BUN.
Electrolytes - see potassium and sodium
ESR - see sedimentation rate
Glucose - This is the same as a blood sugar. Interpretation of this depends on whether a person has been fasting (not eating for 8 hours or more). 2 fasting levels 126 or over are a strong indication of diabetes and fasting levels between 110-126 may indicate impaired glucose tolerance. A non-fasting level of more than 200 is a strong indication of diabetes and non-fasting levels between 140-200 may indicate impaired glucose tolerance.
Glycosylated hemoglobin - This is the most common test to measure control of diabetes over the past 6 weeks. A level less than 7.0 indicates good diabetic control. A level of 7.0 – 7.9 indicates borderline control. A level 8.0 or more indicates poor control and a much higher risk of development of complications from diabetes.
Hemoccults - This is a screening test to check for invisible blood in the stool. It is usually done at home and is often ordered when evaluating anemia or as a screen for colon cancer.
Hemoglobin - Normals vary depending on a persons age and sex. For women normal hemoglobins are 12.0 - 16.0. For men, normals are 14.0 – 18.0. Normals for children and the very elderly are lower. Anemia means a patient’s hemoglobin level is too low. Hemoglobin is contained in red blood cells and is the molecule that carries oxygen in the blood. The most common cause of anemia is iron deficiency. This is most common in women who are menstruating. However, in patients 40 and over, we often are concerned that iron deficiency is caused by a slow leak of blood from the stomach or intestinal system caused by inflammation or tumor. Other common causes of anemia are a minor genetic variant called thalasemia trait, B12 deficiency, kidney dysfunction and some types of arthritis.
Hemoglobin A1C - see glycosylated hemoglobin
Hepatitis profile - this checks for evidence of past or present infection by the 3 main hepatitis viruses – hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Individual results will need to be interpreted by your provider.
Kidney function tests - see BUN and Creatinine
Lipid profile - this is a test of the various components of fat in the blood including total cholesterol, HDL (good cholesterol), LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides. Recommended levels vary depending on a patient’s individual risk profile. Patients with diabetes, heart angioplasty, heart bypass surgery, previous heart attack, angina, abdominal aneurysm, or blockages in their legs should have an LDL below 100. We usually send a letter explaining your results in more detail. Elevated triglycerides may not have the same significance as elevated cholesterol levels but this often depends on a person’s risk profile. Extremely high triglycerides increase the risk for pancreas inflammation. The LDL is a calculated value and cannot be determined if a triglyceride level is higher than 400.
Micral - this is a common test for diabetics. This checks for minute amounts of protein in the urine that may indicate the first sign of kidney effects from diabetes. When this test is 30 or more it is recommended to start a medication called an ACE inhibitor such as Prinivil or Zestril.
Potassium (K+) - Normals 3.5-5.0. This is an electrolyte in the body and blood stream. We usually follow levels for patients on high blood pressure medications and in some patients with kidney dysfunction. Low levels are caused by loss of potassium from the body due to medications (such as diuretics), diarrhea or vomiting. Low levels of potassium may cause weakness, leg cramps and heart irregularities. High levels are sometimes falsely high. Occasionally, in the test tube, potassium will leak out of the blood cells making the potassium result seem high when it really is not. This is why we often repeat high potassium results to verify if it is real. High potassium results (that are real) can be caused by kidney failure or medication such as aldactone, triamterene or lisinopril (Zestril, Prinivil). Very high potassium levels can be dangerous by causing heart rhythm problems.
Sedimentation rate (ESR) - This is a non-specific test, which checks for inflammation in many types of disorders. It is most commonly ordered when looking for a serious arthritis condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or temporal arteritis. It can also be ordered when looking for or ruling out other serious conditions such as a bone infection or tumor. Normal results vary widely and commonly increase with age, especially in women.
Sodium (Na+) - Normals 136-144. This is an electrolyte in the blood. Levels may become low for a variety of reasons, some of which may be complex. Medication, heart failure, excess body fluid (edema) or poor nutrition may cause low levels. Treatment of low levels is also complex but usually does not involve giving extra sodium (salt) to a patient. Low sodium can cause confusion and in rare cases seizure if the drop in sodium levels is rapid. Slow drops in sodium levels may not cause symptoms. High sodium levels are not as common, usually are caused by dehydration and treated with fluids.
Thyroid test - see TSH
Triglycerides - see lipid profile
TSH (Thyroid stimulating hormone) - Normals 0.3 – 5.0. This is the most common test used to screen for thyroid dysfunction and to monitor treatment of hypothyroidism (low thyroid). This test can be confusing to many patients since it usually goes opposite to the level of thyroid hormone in your system. Levels below normal usually indicate either an overactive thyroid or too high of a thyroid medication dose. Levels above normal may indicate an underactive thyroid or too low of a thyroid medication dose. Levels of 5 – 10 for patients not on thyroid medication are borderline and often are followed rather than treated with medication.
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