DEAR DOCTOR K: Last week I received the results of some recent blood work. And results that are outside the normal range (abnormal) dont mean a person has a disease. The genes you inherited can affect results and may cause your results on particular tests to be outside the normal range every time tests are done. A problem with this way of teaching about the value of test results is that often physicians and patients think there are only two possible test results, normal or not. My lipid panel is marked as abnormally high; my triglycerides were at 102 mg/dL. Thanks all, Ill just try and relax until my appointment. What does that means. With some tests there is danger if the result is abnormally high or abnormally low. ! For example . Cardiac Bloodwork What do the Tests Mean? To put it differently, a not-insignificant portion of healthy people have blood work that may appear worrisome . There would undoubtedly be less testing if patients were paying more of the bill themselves but how much money would we save when most healthcare costs relate to the management of chronic disease, surgical procedures and oncology treatment? Your health care provider will recommend monitoring, more testing, or treatment. One of my favorite hobby horses. Assistant Professor in Pulmonary Medicine, GMERS Medical College, Ahmedabad, stick to the guidelines before going for any test, The Lasting Effects of COVID-19: Understanding and Coping with Post-Recovery Symptoms, Holistic Health: 7 Tips How You Can Improve Your Gastrointestinal Health With A Holistic Approach, Learn How to Include Rice on Your Recipes The Healthy Way, Whats Normal HRV Based on Different Factors. A thickened heart could mean that the heart is working too hard to pump blood. Most teachers of evidence-based-medicine talk about tests as positive, or negative. You are able to set it so that your Result sequences send at the same time and days as the settings for Clinical Reminders. If I was you I would call the receptionist back and let her know its panicked you and if she can give you any information or ask if the doctor can call you back. But, the greater the potassium level, the more the diagnostic and treatment decisions may vary. As an expectant mother, it is always good to know what abnormal blood test results mean. Lower Than Normal Ratio of Red Blood Cells When a person suffers from a lower than normal ratio of red blood cells when compared to the plasma, is an indication of being affected by anemia. Not knowing is super frustrating but stressing over it is probably worse than what it actually is. She rang me last time with my results lol thats why Im stressing! Haemoglobin Blood Test If does not have the normal levels of haemoglobin within the red blood cells, it may be an indication of a person suffering from anaemia. For this test, a blood sample is sent to a laboratory for analysis. An abnormal ECG can mean many things. These conditions include Down syndrome and other chromosomal differences. Hence, a value of 30 means you have cancer. When the condition is such that one has high levels of the white blood cells a condition known as Leucocytosis, it is a clear indication of having been infected by bacteria, having the swelling ailment or the bone marrow suffering from a certain condition. It provides information about your heart rate and rhythm and shows if there is an enlargement of the heart due to high blood pressure or evidence of a previous heart attack. Its normal for it to drop though, so chances are your levels were normal last time. 8. Patients with lupus characteristically have the following lab test results: Antibodies against their own . If your results have usually been 81 or 82 mg/dL, but your latest result is suddenly 98 mg/dL, it's still considered normal, but the change might spark a conversation about your diet. Q: Can prostatitis misunderstood as soft lesion |do we need to go for biopsy? However, test results are never just, normal or abnormal; test results may take on many values, not just two. If you cant stop worrying call the nurse line and explain your stress and that you feel like you need some sort of answer for your anxietys sake. Check your overall health. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of blood disorders typically inherited. Follow our Instagram for daily health facts and tips. The NIPT involves a simple blood test that is done in your first trimester of pregnancy. Thursday 18th February 2021: more tests + an urgent call from Dr Man with the test results Echocardiogram. Mutual insurance companies converted to stock companies long ago, just as credit unions are at risk of becoming ordinary banks, more focused on corporate returns than the interests of members. Management of test results Managing test results in general practice can be complex. It is, in fact, a gold-standard test result at that level.Any other abnormal test result value less than 30 in this example may increase the likelihood of having cancer, but those values do not mean for certain that you have cancer. A key concept in testing is that the value of any test result may vary. And besides, what patient will complain about the happy news that we got (insert favorite target here) just in time? Better health is, of course, a positive result, but too often the goal is hunting Easter eggs for the practice, courtesy of the insurance company. Non-urgent result your doctor will advise: our receptionist will advise you that the doctor would like to discuss your result and will arrange for the doctor to call you usually within 48 hours. For example, kidney diseases, polycythemia which may indicate suffering from Polycythemia Vera, diseases that affect the lungs or when one has physiological problems especially for those people who live in areas of high altitude. (For example, if a liver test has a normal range of 30-50, and your result remains 80, that is more worrisome than if your result remains 52.) In the table, also, note that a test result value as high as 30 only occurs in people with cancer 1% of the time, which is a small percent chance. He is a professor of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin and Rush University Medical Center. My doctor says its fine, but Im still worried. Dont assume that one medication is enoughbe sure to follow your doctors instructions on all medications you take. Just as in the man with prostate cancer, a result in the normal range can still be a sign of disease. they probably just want to tell you your results are normal hence no need to rush in. Diabetic retinopathy can cause abnormal blood vessels to grow out of the retina and block fluid from draining out of the eye. First, I had an echocardiogram, to investigate why there was a strain on my heart.It was the same as a pregnancy ultrasound, only you see your heart pumping on the screen and what a sight it was; it was quite surreal. Please specify a reason for deleting this reply from the community. Couldnt tell me over the phone and will have to wait till Tuesday to make an emergency appointment. Bacteria or other germs. Please select a reason for escalating this post to the WTE moderators: Connect with our community members by starting a discussion. Any suggestions? So if you . Help in determining the total number of each of the white blood cells subsets. By the way, the results usually come back to us electronically down what we call pathlinks. Check the look of the blood cells under a microscope or a blood smear film. Inadequate levels of blood due to excessive blood loss or from having long-lasting ailments. Abnormal results can signify several issues. So, heres my general advice for dealing with laboratory test results. If youre not sure what to do about abnormal blood test results, its important to see your doctor.If you haven't done routine blood work in a while and don't want to drive or wait or pay crazy amounts to have it done. Any unusual or abnormal results should be discussed with the GP who ordered the test. Although its always best to talk to your doctor when you get an abnormal blood test result, in some cases, you may be told to simply wait and retest later. If your COVID-19 test was positive, this means that the test did detect the presence of COVID-19 in your nasal secretions. Regular blood tests can catch the warning signs of almost any disease early. think twice before sharing personal details, foster a friendly and supportive environment, remove fake accounts, spam and misinformation, delete posts that violate our community guidelines, reviewed by our medical review board and team of experts. Basically it says the doctor wants me to make a non urgent appointment regarding my abnormal result (clinically significant) what does this mean? I know everything they have tested so far are not pregnancy related. We strive to provide you with a high quality community experience. Ah ok! Should you wish to book your appointment online, Our Doctors Calendar is available to you, Simply head over to Reserve your Appointment and view the doctors available times where we can be able to help you. I trust that if Something was wrong my dr would have wanted me to come in straight away! :), Meet other parents of January 2020 babies and share the joys and challenges as your children grow. Recommendation 2: Abnormal liver blood test results should only be interpreted after review of the previous results, past medical history and current medical condition. Sometimes when the blood test does not give the desired results and the results are not within the normal range, it is not automatically deemed that one has some complications or ailments. The normal range is 0-89 mg/dL. You would have be told by now if there was a problem with the baby. But they told me on the phone what the problem is. There was a little red blood a few days into it so I went into emergency. Hang in there! Someone having a heart attack may require cardiac catheterization or surgery to allow blood flow to return to the heart. | All Rights Reserved | Designed ByMM Digital Marketing Kenya, Our top Kenyan cardiologists pride ourselves with providing you highly personalized and comprehensive cardiac care. The most common laboratory abnormalities in patients hospitalized with pneumonia include leukopenia, lymphopenia, leukocytosis, elevated liver transaminases, elevated lactate dehydrogenase, and elevated C-reactive protein ( Table 7.1 ). For example, if your blood sugar level is high and your cholesterol is elevated, then theres a good chance you have diabetes or pre-diabetes. If so, ask if that . This includes incidents where test results or clinical correspondence have not been managed appropriately. HPV is a very common sexually transmitted infection which usually shows no symptoms and goes away by itself. 2005-2023Everyday Health, Inc., a Ziff Davis company. One should ensure they go for their regular annual checkups and not to avoid basic blood tests. This result would suggest that you are currently infected with COVID-19. Aside from the issue of who pays for the test, patients are much more willing to undergo tests that are not painful or invasive just to be sure. E-mail us a copy of your piece in the body of your email or as a Google Doc. Assist in working out the average hemoglobin amount in the red blood cells also known as the mean cell hemoglobin. This person may require a pacemaker, which helps restore the heart to a more normal rhythm. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. Your post will be hidden and deleted by moderators. The communication of such important results should be a priority, and in certain . If severely abnormal results are found the lab will phone the GP or your Out of Hours service to make contact. Sometimes your health professional may decide that - taking into account what is already known about your health - no further action is needed. I'm starting to feel like these offices are unorganized and insensitive! Another source of variation is you. Create an account or log in to participate. Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. But, the greater the potassium level, the more the diagnostic and treatment decisions may vary. Last month I had my thyroid tests done, I have been hypo since I was born in 1967, my results came back abnormal, TSH 0.28 (0.38- 5.33) FT4 18.5 (7.9-14.4) I asked for a doctor to contact me but had a text message from a gp to say he had tried to ring me several times last Friday, on checking my phone he tried once and only let it ring 2 times . Blood sugar levels, for example, vary depending on what and when we ate. Ischemia, or lack of blood flow, may also cause an abnormal ECG.Heart rhythm abnormalities: A heart typically beats in a steady rhythm. Non urgent - you will be absolutely fine. Read More. If your personal result is right in the middle of the normal range, youll likely feel relief. When the ratio is higher than normal it is a clear indication that an individual is suffering from dehydration or they have extra red blood cells in their blood system a condition known as Polycythemia. Is Marital Status in a Febrile 5-year-old Child Important. However, this is the bare minimum. Basically it says the doctor wants me to make a non urgent appointment regarding my abnormal result (clinically significant) what does this mean? In this case, positive doesn't necessarily mean "good" and negative doesn't necessarily mean "bad.". This tissue will not conduct electricity as well, which can cause an abnormal ECG. Policy proposals. At-Home TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone), The most common cause of abnormal blood work is inflammation. Add message Save Share Report Bookmark Advertisement % Gifts processed in this system are not tax deductible, but are predominately used to help meet the local financial requirements needed to receive national matching-grant funds. . For example, a person with dehydration may have imbalanced electrolytes that are causing an abnormal ECG. If the results are near abnormal or definitely abnormal, and your doctor says not to worry: Suppose that the result has changed significantly from when it was tested previously. The doctor was good. Treatment response to an abnormal electrocardiogram result depends on the underlying cause. But dont worry; were here to tell you everything you need to know about your abnormal blood results. Maybe if you go up to the office they can give you more information. Should you worry? I agree it's probably anemia or another non-baby-worrisome thing, but I would call back and demand a phone appt with the doctor. 20052023 BabyCenter, LLC, a Ziff Davis company. Crystals. Sometimes an ECG abnormality is a normal variation of a hearts rhythm, which does not affect your health. Imaging and simple blood draws fall into that category. In tesing, the magnitude of the result matters. The most common cause of abnormal blood work is inflammationwhich occurs when your body is trying to heal itselfand these tests can indicate if theres something wrong inside of you. The question is not whether the result is abnormal, but whether it is becoming even more abnormal.. Hospital Road, Upper Hill Nairobi, Kenya, Upperhill Cardiovascular Centre in partnership with, | Copyright 2023 Upperhill Cardiovascular Centre. Does Your Cardiologist Say You Need Open Heart Surgery, your heart is beating too fast, too slow, or irregularly, youre having a heart attack or youve previously had a heart attack, you have heart defects, including an enlarged heart, a lack of blood flow, or birth defects, you have problems with your hearts valves. Abnormal Blood Clotting Test Results Show why the blood has lost its ability to clot and why it takes longer to do the same. When the results came back as abnormal - all it turned out to be was that I was officially undergoing the menopause which had flagged up whatever it is that shows when hormones go up or down and so on. Im sure if it was something critical that doctor would have made an appointment for you urgently. A Group Leader is a What to Expect community member who has been selected by our staff to help maintain a positive, supportive tone within a group. I see errors, however, when test results are considered on average or cut-points rather than as an absoulute value. The more abnormal it is, the more information it contains in terms of making a diagnosis. Suffering from Leukopenia Which is a condition brought about by having low white blood cells in the blood system. Having Low Levels of Blood Platelets A condition described as Thrombocytopenia especially when a person has been taking certain medications, having been subjected to a virus infection, conditions that affect the bone marrow, or having an autoimmune ailment.