Published: 23 Apr 2024 Lab test Upper and Lower limits normal
Decision limits are values that represent either the upper or lower quantity of an analyte that are consistent with a disease state or indicate a need for treatment.
Blood glucose is an example of an analyte for which decision limits have been established and are widely used by health care providers. He or she will interpret the result in the context of your medical history and current presentation - something that no website is yet able to do.
For a small number of tests, long-term studies of certain disease processes have led to the establishment of decision limits that are more useful than reference ranges in determining clinical outcomes and guiding treatment decisions. If you need further explanation of your results, you should talk to your health care provider. This remains true even for those tests, such as the components of the basic metabolic panel (BMP), for which we have included reference ranges. Remember, a reference range is merely a guide for your health care provider. For adults in a routine setting in which fasting blood glucose testing is done to detect type 2 diabetes, a fasting glucose level of 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) or above, obtained on more than one testing occasion, indicates diabetes. We want you to understand what each test on this site is for, but because we can't be aware of all the factors that could affect your test results, we can't interpret the results without more information. We want you to be informed, but we don't pretend to take the place of communication between you and your health care provider. Treatment is required to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and other long-term complications of diabetes.
In this situation, it is a value above a particular limit that provides information rather than a value that falls within or outside a set range of numbers.
Also reference intervals may vary from area to area. Test's reference ranges may differ from lab to lab due to equipment and methodology differences. On the right hand of the parameter you can find a small button. Click on the button and 'Reference Ranges' interface will popup. Frequently, what is considered a normal result range in your area is not totally the same somewhere else. By using the interface you will be able to update name of measurement units and the parameter's reference range. It is similar to the way, for instance, your physician chooses to record your weight during an examination. He can decide to note your weight in pounds or in kilograms. The units of measurement that labs use to report your results can vary from lab to lab. In Medical Tests Analyzer interface you can adjust measurement units naming and reference interval (range) as well. Select a parameter on your test you want to update, for example 'Rheumatoid factor'. Open your test by clicking 'Edit Test' button. In this same way, labs may choose to use different units of measurement for your test results. Regardless of the units that the lab uses, your results will be interpreted in relation to the reference ranges supplied by the laboratory.