Enter values from your lab report
Enter values from your lab report
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Every year, billions of blood test results are delivered to patients — and a significant proportion of those patients leave the lab with numbers they don't understand. Herbafama's free lab result interpreter bridges this gap, translating the clinical language of laboratory medicine into plain English explanations that help you have more informed conversations with your physician.
The CBC is the most commonly ordered blood test in medicine, measuring the different types of cells in your blood and providing a snapshot of your immune function, oxygen-carrying capacity, and clotting ability.
WBCs are your immune system's defense force. The total count reflects the sum of five distinct cell types: neutrophils (bacterial defense, 50–70%), lymphocytes (viral defense, 20–40%), monocytes (cleanup, 2–8%), eosinophils (allergy/parasite, 1–4%), and basophils (inflammation, <1%). Elevated WBC most commonly reflects infection, inflammation, stress response, or medication effects. Suppressed WBC can indicate viral infection, chemotherapy effects, or autoimmune conditions.
Hemoglobin is the iron-containing protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to every cell in your body. Low hemoglobin (anemia) causes fatigue, pallor, and shortness of breath. The most common causes are iron deficiency (the world's most widespread nutritional deficiency), B12 or folate deficiency, chronic inflammation, or blood loss. Normal ranges differ by sex: men 13.5–17.5 g/dL, women 12.0–15.5 g/dL.
Platelets are tiny cell fragments that form the initial plug at sites of vessel injury, initiating clot formation. Low platelets (thrombocytopenia) increase bleeding risk — from easy bruising at mildly low levels to spontaneous internal bleeding at severely low levels. Many common medications including aspirin, ibuprofen, heparin, and some antibiotics can lower platelet counts or function.
The BMP screens for diabetes, kidney disease, electrolyte imbalances, and acid-base disorders — providing a snapshot of your body's internal chemical environment.
Fasting glucose is the cornerstone of diabetes screening. Normal fasting is 70–99 mg/dL. Prediabetes is 100–125 mg/dL. Diabetes is diagnosed at ≥126 mg/dL on two occasions. A non-fasting glucose uses different thresholds — ≥200 mg/dL with symptoms is diagnostic. Even a small amount of coffee without fasting can elevate glucose readings, which is why true fasting (8+ hours) is important for this test.
Creatinine is a waste product filtered by the kidneys — elevated levels indicate the kidneys are not filtering efficiently. Common causes include dehydration (reversible), chronic kidney disease, and medication effects (NSAIDs commonly cause transient creatinine elevation). BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen) rises with kidney dysfunction, dehydration, high protein intake, or gastrointestinal bleeding.
Both high and low potassium (outside 3.5–5.0 mEq/L) can cause life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. This is the most carefully watched electrolyte in hospitalized patients. Potassium is affected by many medications: ACE inhibitors and potassium-sparing diuretics increase it; loop diuretics, certain antibiotics, and insulin decrease it.
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