How to Read Your Medical Reports Before Seeing a Doctor in Delhi?

• SGOT and SGPT : Enzymes released when liver cells are damaged, elevated levels indicate the liver is under stress.
• Bilirubin : A yellow pigment the liver processes, high bilirubin causes jaundice, the yellowing of eyes and skin.
• Albumin : A protein the liver makes, low albumin suggests the liver isn't functioning well enough to produce it.

Kidney Function Test, or KFT : Checks how well the kidneys are filtering the blood 

• Creatinine : A waste product the kidneys remove, elevated creatinine indicates the kidneys aren't filtering efficiently.
• Blood urea nitrogen : Another waste product, rises when kidney function drops.
• eGFR : Estimated glomerular filtration rate, this number tells how much filtering capacity the kidneys have left, above 60 is generally considered adequate.

Understanding Flags, Ranges, and What They Mean?

Every result on a blood report sits next to a reference range. This is the range of values considered normal for that test in that lab. A result outside this range gets marked with H for high or L for low.

An H or L flag doesn't automatically mean something serious. Reference ranges are statistical averages calculated from large populations. What the flag position tells you:

• Slightly outside the range, worth noting and mentioning to the doctor.
• Significantly outside the range, needs the doctor's attention at the appointment, bring all previous reports showing the same value so the trend is visible.
• A critical value. Some labs print these in bold or with an asterisk, these are values far outside normal that sometimes warrant same-day attention from a 24 hours emergency hospital near me.

One thing worth knowing: labs set their own reference ranges based on their equipment and the population they serve. A value that flags as high in one lab may sit within normal range at another. This is why the report from the original lab always needs to come with the patient.

What to Bring and What to Ask When You See the Doctor?

Walking into a specialist consultation with organised documents changes the quality of the appointment. The doctor spends less time reconstructing history and more time actually evaluating the problem.

Documents worth bringing:

• All blood reports from the last 12 months
•  Imaging reports: X-rays, ultrasounds, MRI, CT scans
•  A list of current medications with dosages, including supplements and vitamins
• Previous discharge summaries if there have been hospitalisations
• A written list of symptoms with dates of when each started