Platelets, which help your blood clot, outside a normal range could also indicate disease. A high or low number of red blood cells could indicate different diseases. White blood cells help fight infection, so you’d have a higher number if that’s the case. The CBC checks your levels of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. It can also detect a range of diseases, so doctors order this test to shed light on symptoms like fatigue or bruises. This is a routine test to evaluate your general health. As Mayo Clinic reports, if you’re at an average risk of developing heart disease, it’s a good idea to get your cholesterol checked every five years starting at age 18. Triglycerides should be less than 150 mg/dL, and your total cholesterol shouldn’t break 200 mg/dL. You want your LDL to be less than 130 mg/dL. You want your HDL cholesterol to be higher than 45 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood. If your triglycerides are high, they could contribute to hardening of your arteries the way high LDL cholesterol can. Triglycerides are a type of fat in your blood that’s different from cholesterol. High cholesterol has no symptoms, so the blood test is vital. When LDL or “bad” cholesterol builds up in your arteries it can slow your blood flow, potentially leading to a heart attack or stroke. Cholesterol is broken up into “good” (HDL) and “bad” (LDL). Your doctor will order a lipid panel to get a picture of your cholesterol. When you go to your primary care physician for a check-up, your doctor may want to do a blood draw to check your cholesterol, your blood count (how many red and white blood cells and platelets you have circulating), and a basic metabolic or chemistry panel. Unless you’re a medical professional, however, the results can be hard to decipher. They can gather clues to how well your liver, heart or thyroid is working.īlood tests are often part of a routine check-up, as doctors analyze how your body is working.

Doctors can see whether you’re diabetic, anemic or fighting an infection. There is so much information pumping through your veins. Why should you care about how many white or red blood cells you have circulating?īecause your blood can tell you a lot about how healthy you are. What, exactly, is the difference between HDL and LDL cholesterol (which one’s good)? And what are triglycerides?

Direct ldl cholesterol range