How to read your parent’s lab report: HbA1c, lipids, thyroid, kidney and CBC

A plain-English guide to the tests on common Indian health-checkup packages, what the printed range means, and what to ask the doctor.

By the Athnova Care team · Updated 2026-09-29

This guide is general information to help families organise care. It is not medical advice — follow your parent's doctor.

Start with the printed reference range

Every Indian lab prints a reference range beside each result. Ranges differ slightly between labs and methods, so compare results from the same lab where you can, and always read the range printed on that report rather than one from the internet.

Common tests in a health package

Test	What it measures	Often listed as
HbA1c	Average blood sugar over about three months	Glycosylated haemoglobin
Fasting / post-prandial glucose	Sugar after an overnight fast, and two hours after a meal	FBS, PPBS
Lipid profile	Fats in the blood	Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides
Thyroid function	How the thyroid is working	TSH, sometimes T3 and T4
Kidney function	How well the kidneys are filtering	Creatinine, eGFR, urea, uric acid
Liver function	Liver enzymes and proteins	SGPT/ALT, SGOT/AST, bilirubin, albumin
Complete blood count	Red cells, white cells, platelets	CBC, haemoglobin
Vitamins	Commonly low in older adults	Vitamin D (25-OH), vitamin B12
Urine routine	Protein, sugar, signs of infection	Urine R/M

High, low and flags

Labs mark values outside the range with H, L, an arrow or bold type. A flag means "outside this lab’s range", not "dangerous". Some values sit a little outside the range for years without mattering; others matter even inside it. That judgement is the doctor’s.

Trends matter more than one result

A single value slightly outside the range may not mean much; a steady movement across three reports does. Put the results side by side, in date order, before the doctor visit.

Before the test

Ask whether fasting is needed, and for how long.
Ask whether morning medicines should be taken before the sample.
Use the same lab each time, if possible.
Home collection is widely available in Indian cities and saves a tiring trip.

Questions to ask the doctor

Which values are outside the range, and do they matter for my parent?
What has changed since the last report?
What should the target be?
When should we repeat this test?

Try it on a real report

Our free lab report explainer lists every value with its printed range in plain English. It does not store your file and it does not diagnose.

Questions families ask

Why are the reference ranges different between labs?

Labs use different machines and methods. Always read the range printed on the same report.

What does eGFR mean on a kidney report?

It is an estimate of how well the kidneys filter, calculated from creatinine, age and sex. Ask the doctor what your parent’s figure means for them.

How often should an older parent have a full check-up?

Many doctors suggest once a year, with some tests more often depending on their conditions.

Athnova Care tracks and coordinates care. It does not diagnose, prescribe or replace a doctor. In a medical emergency in India call 112.