Decoding a general blood test in adults

Video: Decoding a general blood test in adults

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-18 00:05

The most frequent examination prescribed by the attending physician is a complete blood count (CBC), which can confirm or deny the diagnosis. The data obtained cannot give a clear picture without an explanation from the doctor, but some values can be deciphered on their own. The decoding of the general clinical blood test in an adult according to the norms can be seen in the table in the article.

Features of a general blood test

Blood is made up of plasma and cells. This liquid substance bears a great burden, as it is responsible not only for the transfer of important trace elements and hormones, but also is responsible for the normal functioning of the immune system. Precisely because blood comes into contact with each internal organ, a detailed analysis is able to give the doctor a clear picture of the patient's health.

KLA is prescribed for suspicion of an infectious disease resulting from a chronic exacerbation, as well as for symptoms characteristic of anemia and latent bleeding.

If a patient has a history of a genetic bleeding disorder, the doctor will most likely also refer him to a laboratory for this test. Women repeatedly pass the CBC during pregnancy in order to exclude the development of any pathologies in themselves or in the fetus.

Different laboratories prefer excellent collection methods for research. Somewhere blood can be taken from a finger, in other organizations - from a vein. The sampling method does not affect the accuracy and reliability of the results in any way. In both cases, the patient is not recommended to eat food at least 4 hours before going to the laboratory.

This will reduce the possibility of errors and more clearly determine the level of sugar and other trace elements in the blood. It is advisable to exclude excessive physical exertion for this period, as well as unwanted addiction to nicotine and alcohol.

Clinical Study Indicators

To determine the results of a general blood test in an adult, there are certain standards in medicine. Each value is correlated with other indicators, and only after that the doctor can see the overall picture of the patient's health.

Significant parameters of the general blood test:

Hemoglobin (Hb). It is a pigment that contains a microelement vital for humans - iron. Under normal conditions, it is in erythrocytes. Responsible for saturating the body with oxygen and removing carbon dioxide.
Red blood cells (RBC). These red cells, due to their number, give the blood its characteristic hue. They are also responsible for gas exchange and transport of nutrients and medicinal substances. In addition, erythrocytes are actively involved in the work of the immune system, protecting the body from the invasion of bacteria and viruses.
Reticulocytes (RTC). New erythrocytes, which, after being isolated from the bone marrow, begin to work actively only after 3 days. By their number, you can determine the future work and security of the body.
Platelets (PLT). White fragments of a blood cell that are responsible for blood clotting and the healing of minor injuries. They form threads that tighten the site of injury, preventing excessive blood loss.
Thrombokrit (PST). This indicator allows you to determine the content of platelets in the blood. Thrombokrit will allow you to give a more accurate analysis of the state of the blood if the patient's blood is too thick or liquid.
ESR (ESR). Translated as erythrocyte sedimentation rate. An elevated ESR means too high plasma protein and the presence of disease in the body.
Leukocytes (WBC). White blood cells responsible for immunity. The total content of leukocytes in the blood allows you to determine the presence of an inflammatory process in the human body.

Having received the values of all these indicators, the doctor has the opportunity to see, exclude or confirm the presence of a disease in the body. Together with the manifested symptoms, the CBC data allow an accurate diagnosis.

Norms and decoding of a general blood test in adults

The values of the indicators have averaged norms that allow doctors to navigate in the UAC. The fact that the results go beyond the established framework guarantees the presence of pathology in the patient's body. The decoding of the general clinical blood test in an adult according to the norms can be seen in the table.

Index	Norm for men	Norm for women
Hemoglobin (g / dl)	13, 2–17, 3	11, 7–15, 5
Erythrocytes (х106 / μL)	4, 30–5, 70	3, 80–5, 10
Reticulocytes (%)	0, 24–1, 7	0, 12–2, 05
Platelets (х103 / μl)	150–400	150–400
Thrombokrit (%)	0, 15–0, 35	0, 15–0, 35
ESR (mm / h)	0–15	0–20
Leukocytes (х103 / μL)	4, 50–11, 0	4, 50–11, 0

However, having received the results of the analysis in your hands, and comparing it with the above indicators, it is not recommended to independently establish a diagnosis for yourself. It is best to talk to your doctor who can allay all fears and doubts, as well as prescribe qualified treatment if necessary.

In modern laboratories, a complete blood count is carried out automatically. This allows the patient and the attending physician to quickly obtain a decoding of the value in order to substitute them for the norms shown in the table. ESR, WBC, lymphocytes and cholesterol - these are the first things you should pay attention to.

Depending on how these values are in relation to the norm, as well as how their indicators are combined with each other, the specialist makes a verdict on the patient's state of health.

An elevated hemoglobin level means a low iron content in the blood, but this indicator must be correlated with the number of red blood cells in order to see a complete picture of what is happening in the body.

If the last value exceeds the established norms, and the first, on the contrary, is lowered, then the doctor may suspect the breakdown of red blood cells that occurs after poisoning.

Elevated readings most often indicate dehydration or erythrocytosis caused by failure of the kidneys, lungs, and heart. In this case, the patient is referred for additional examinations in order to reveal a complete picture of the state of health.

A decrease in hemoglobin levels may indicate anemia associated with bleeding. Such indicators can also occur when drinking a large amount of liquid before passing the UAC, therefore, in order to obtain more accurate data, it is recommended to visit the laboratory in the morning on an empty stomach.

An increase in ESR is another common phenomenon indicating pathology. The main reason for the deviation from the norm is the presence of an infectious disease. But in the presence of constant stress or pregnancy in women, this indicator may slightly deviate from the established framework, so the doctor is obliged to take into account secondary reasons. An increase in ESR may also indicate a malignant neoplasm or autoimmune disease.

The inflammatory process is also indicated by a change in the number of platelets. An increase in the indicator is an indirect sign of bleeding or cancer. A reduced value is typical for pregnancy, autoimmune diseases, and congenital disorders in the synthesis of blood cells.

An increased white blood cell count indicates a bacterial or viral infection. This also happens with burns, the presence of a malignant tumor. True, you should not be afraid of a slight deviation from the norm, since most often this is associated with stress, excessive physical exertion or menstruation in women.

But a low white blood cell count should be taken into account, since it indicates the presence of a severe infectious disease or cancer, in any form.

You should not make yourself frightening diagnoses on your own if the numbers on the results of a general blood test do not correspond to the norms in one direction or another. After all, stress does not in the best way affect the state of the blood, in serious cases it is possible only to aggravate the situation, and in the absence of danger, only the attending physician will help to dispel doubts.