Abnormal test results
A number on your report has a star or is in bold, and you do not know how worried to be. This page explains what a reference range is, what can change a result, and how a doctor gets from one number to the next step.
What does a star next to a number mean?
A star or bold type only says your number fell outside the reference range. That range comes from the results of a large group of healthy people. So a healthy person sometimes falls outside it, and some people with health problems have results inside it.
In other words, one number alone proves neither illness nor health. Tests are an important part of the work, but they do not give the complete picture.
What can change a result?
- Eating and drinking before the test, or not following fasting instructions
- Medicines, vitamins and supplements
- Hard exercise before the test
- Having a period at the time of the test
No test is perfect either. False positive and false negative results are uncommon, but they happen. If your doctor doubts a result, it may be repeated.
How does a doctor read a result?
Your doctor puts the number beside:
- Your symptoms and history
- Your examination
- Your family history
- Any imaging you have had
- Your earlier results
Most of the time this leads to a more accurate diagnosis than any single test. That is why it helps to bring earlier results. If you want to follow a number over time, repeating the test at the same lab helps, because results from two labs cannot always be compared.
What do common reports measure?
- Complete blood count (CBC): red cells, white cells, platelets, haemoglobin and the size of the red cells.
- Chemistry panel: glucose, calcium, electrolytes, proteins, and liver and kidney numbers.
- Liver enzymes: some of these tests show how the liver is working and others show damage. They usually cannot diagnose a specific disease alone, so more tests are needed to find the cause.
- Urea and creatinine: waste products that the kidneys filter out of the blood.
What comes next?
Depending on which number has moved and by how much, your doctor may:
- Say nothing more is needed
- Repeat the test after a while
- Ask for more specific tests
- Refer you for specialist assessment
The doctor's own way of following up results, and whether results can be reviewed remotely, will be added once confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Should I compare my result with normal values online?
No. Each lab may have its own method and range. Compare your result only with the range printed on the same report.
Do I need to repeat the test?
Sometimes. An uncertain result, or one that does not fit how you are, is often repeated. Your doctor decides.
Should I change a medicine before my visit?
No. Do not stop or change any medicine unless your doctor tells you to.
The first step, a calm conversation.
Go to the booking page or talk to support. Have your earlier results and your medicine list ready.