How to Read Your Blood Test and Checkup Results: A Guide for BC Adults

Your lab results arrive, often through an online portal, before you have had a chance to talk with your doctor. A column of numbers, a few values flagged "H" or "L", and abbreviations like LDL, HbA1c and eGFR. It is natural to want to make sense of it right away. This guide explains what the common markers on a Canadian blood test mean, how to read the units, and why the conversation with your family physician matters more than any single number.

First, How a Canadian Lab Report Is Laid Out

Most BC lab reports follow the same basic pattern. Each line shows the test name, your result, the unit of measurement, and a reference range.

• Units: Canadian labs use SI units. Cholesterol and glucose are reported in mmol/L (millimoles per litre). If you have seen results from the United States or elsewhere in mg/dL, the numbers will look very different even when they mean the same thing, so avoid comparing across systems without converting.
• Reference range: This is the range seen in most healthy people tested by that particular lab. It is a statistical guide, not a line between "healthy" and "sick". Ranges can vary by lab, method, age and sex.
• Flags: An "H" (high) or "L" (low) simply means your value falls outside the reference range. A slightly flagged value is common and often not significant on its own; a value within range can still deserve attention in the right context.

Lipids: LDL, HDL, Triglycerides and Total Cholesterol

A lipid panel is one of the most common tests adults in BC receive, and it is used to help estimate cardiovascular risk.

• LDL cholesterol is often called "bad" cholesterol because higher levels are linked with plaque building up in the arteries. Canadian guidelines generally treat LDL as a main target when lowering risk, but the right target depends on your overall risk profile, not the number alone.
• HDL cholesterol helps carry cholesterol back to the liver. Lower HDL is associated with higher cardiovascular risk.
• Triglycerides reflect fats in the blood and can rise with alcohol, refined carbohydrates, excess weight and insulin resistance. They can also change depending on whether you fasted.
• Total cholesterol is a combined figure and is less useful by itself than its parts.
• Non-HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) may also appear on your report. Canadian guidance increasingly uses these as additional ways to look at risk.

Your doctor typically interprets lipids together with your blood pressure, smoking status, diabetes status, family history and age, sometimes using a validated risk calculator.

Blood Sugar: Fasting Glucose and HbA1c

• Fasting glucose (in mmol/L) is a snapshot of your blood sugar at the moment of the test. It can be affected by a recent meal, illness, stress or poor sleep.
• HbA1c is reported as a percentage and reflects your average blood sugar over roughly the past two to three months. Because it smooths out day-to-day swings, it is widely used both to screen for diabetes and to monitor it.

Results can fall into a normal range, a "prediabetes" range, or a range suggesting diabetes. Diabetes Canada guidance notes that a diagnosis is usually confirmed with repeat testing rather than a single result. If you are in the prediabetes range, that is a useful early signal: large studies suggest that changes in diet, activity and weight can delay or prevent progression for many people.

Kidneys and Liver: eGFR, Creatinine, ALT and More

Kidney function

• Creatinine is a waste product from muscle that the kidneys clear. Muscle mass, hydration and certain supplements can influence it.
• eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) is calculated from creatinine, age and sex, and is reported in mL/min/1.73m². It estimates how well your kidneys filter. A single lower reading may reflect dehydration; a sustained pattern over months is what doctors look for.
• Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) checks for small amounts of protein in the urine, an early sign of kidney stress that is especially relevant for people with diabetes or high blood pressure.

Liver enzymes

• ALT and AST rise when liver cells are irritated. Mild elevations are commonly associated with fatty liver, alcohol, some medications, or even a hard workout before the test.
• GGT and alkaline phosphatase add clues about alcohol use and the bile ducts.

The Complete Blood Count (CBC)

The CBC gives a broad view of your blood cells:

• White blood cells (WBC) relate to immunity and inflammation. They may rise with infection or stress and fall with some viral illnesses or medications.
• Hemoglobin and red blood cells are used to look for anemia. Indices such as MCV help your doctor think about possible causes, such as low iron or low vitamin B12.
• Platelets help with clotting. Values that are persistently high or low are usually rechecked and investigated.

A CBC is often paired with ferritin (iron stores) when fatigue or heavy periods are part of the picture.

Why Trends Matter More Than One Value

A single result is one frame of a longer film. A value that sits comfortably within range but climbs steadily year after year can be more meaningful than one slightly flagged reading. Likewise, a mildly abnormal result often settles on repeat testing.

This is where an ongoing relationship with a family physician helps. When the same practice keeps your records over time, your doctor can compare this year's LDL, HbA1c or eGFR with previous years, weigh your family history and medications, and decide whether to watch, recheck or act. Bringing a list of your questions, along with copies of results from other labs or other countries, makes that visit more productive.

A few practical tips:

• Note whether you were asked to fast, and follow instructions for the next test so results are comparable.
• Keep your own simple record of key values and dates.
• Tell your doctor about supplements, recent illness or intense exercise before testing.
• Resist the urge to self-diagnose from search results; context changes everything.

If you would like a broader, scheduled look at your health beyond routine bloodwork, a self-pay comprehensive health exam at our Richmond clinic combines extended lab testing with physician review. For people who want help keeping track of results year to year, our health management membership adds care coordination on top of MSP-covered care. It does not replace your family doctor.

Book a Consultation

Understanding your numbers is a good first step, but interpreting them is a job for a physician who knows your history. If you have recent results you would like to review, or you are considering a more complete checkup, our English, Mandarin and Cantonese-speaking team at MMC Wellness in Richmond is happy to help. Call us at 604-629-8968 or visit our contact page to ask about appointments and confirm what fits your situation.