Understanding Your Lab Results

 Making Sense of Your Numbers

Turning test results into actions that protect your health

Many patients receive lab reports filled with numbers and medical terms that are hard to understand. Without clear explanations, it is easy to feel lost or worried, especially around results for cholesterol, kidney function, liver health, and blood sugar. These tests are powerful tools that can help you and your doctor decide what changes or treatments are most important. By learning which values matter most for you, you can monitor your progress over time—seeing, for example, how changes in diet or medication affect your cholesterol or A1C. This knowledge turns lab work from something scary into something empowering.

Tips for using lab results wisely

● Ask your provider to explain your key results in simple terms and write down your target ranges.

● Keep a folder or digital file with your lab reports so you can compare over months and years.

● Ask which lifestyle changes can help improve specific numbers (for example, LDL cholesterol or A1C).

● Schedule repeat labs as recommended to track your progress.

● Bring someone you trust to listen and help remember explanations if needed.

When to call your doctor

● You receive results you do not understand or that the portal marks as “abnormal.”

● You notice sudden changes compared with previous results.

● You develop new symptoms like swelling, dark urine, yellowing skin or eyes, or severe fatigue.

● You wonder whether lab changes mean you should adjust or stop a medication.