{"id":1096,"date":"2024-07-22T11:28:54","date_gmt":"2024-07-22T18:28:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.stanfordbloodcenter.org\/admin\/?page_id=1096"},"modified":"2026-01-23T16:53:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T00:53:26","slug":"interpreting-test-results","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/api.stanfordbloodcenter.org\/admin\/interpreting-test-results\/","title":{"rendered":"Interpreting Test Results"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Very rarely, the specimen of blood that is needed for the HbA1c testing is not available or is inadequate for a variety of reasons. When this happens, the value \u201cNot Tested\u201d or “No Result Determined” will display in your results.<\/em>

Hemoglobin (Hb):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. The normal range for hemoglobin levels is typically 13.8 to 17.2 grams per deciliter (g\/dL) for men and 12.1 to 15.1 g\/dL for women. Low hemoglobin levels can indicate anemia, while high levels might suggest polycythemia or other medical conditions. Please note that hemoglobin levels can be influenced by various factors, and it\u2019s important to consult your primary care physician for interpretation of your results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the safety of both donor and patient, your hemoglobin level must be at least 12.5 g\/dL for women and 13.0 g\/dL for men and nonbinary donors to give blood.<\/strong> The most common causes of a low hemoglobin count are a low-iron diet, frequent blood donation, and menstrual blood loss. Other less likely but more serious causes of low hemoglobin include arthritis, diabetes, kidney disease, stomach ulcers, colon cancer, medications, and other diseases of the digestive tract. Consult your doctor if you want to rule out these possibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about iron and its role in blood donation<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Blood Pressure (Systolic):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Systolic blood pressure is the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. A normal systolic reading is typically less than 120 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). Elevated or high systolic blood pressure can indicate hypertension, which may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. If your systolic pressure is consistently high, it is essential to discuss this with your healthcare provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For donation eligibility, your systolic blood pressure should fall between 90 to 180.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Blood Pressure (Diastolic):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diastolic blood pressure measures the pressure in your arteries between heartbeats. A normal diastolic reading is usually less than 80 mmHg. High diastolic pressure can also contribute to hypertension. It is important to monitor both systolic and diastolic pressures and seek medical advice if your readings are outside the normal range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For donation eligibility, your diastolic blood pressure should fall between 50 to 100.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Temperature:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Body temperature is an indicator of your overall health. The average normal body temperature is around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius), but it can vary slightly from person to person. A temperature significantly higher or lower than this range may indicate an infection or other health issues. If you have concerns about your body temperature readings, consult your primary care physician.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For donation eligibility, your temperature should ideally be between 96.5 to 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pulse:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pulse rate is the number of heartbeats per minute. The normal resting pulse rate for adults ranges from 50 to 100 beats per minute. Athletes or physically active individuals may have lower resting pulse rates. An unusually high or low pulse rate can be a sign of underlying health conditions and should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most individuals, HbA1c is an accurate reflection of the average blood glucose levels over the last 3 months and serves as an important marker for diabetes. HbA1c levels below 5.7% is seen in normal healthy individuals without diabetes or pre-diabetes. Prediabetics have elevated levels between 5.7% and 6.4%, and diabetics 6.5% or higher. However, certain conditions may make HbA1c a less reliable marker for diabetes. Therefore, it is important to discuss your HbA1c results with your doctor to understand your risk of diabetes and manage your health effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PLEASE NOTE:<\/strong>\u00a0Due to a technology change, Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) testing has been paused as of January 26, 2026. Donors who gave blood through January 25, 2026, can find their test results in the SBC mobile app as directed below. At this time, we do not have a definitive date for restarting HbA1c testing. Please watch this space for updates, or reach out to us at\u00a0support@stanfordbloodcenter.org<\/a>\u00a0for information. Thank you for your patience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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General Notice:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stanford Blood Center does not dispense medical advice. The information provided with your test results is for informational purposes only. For interpretation of your results and medical advice, please consult your primary care physician.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Very rarely, the specimen of blood that is needed for the HbA1c testing is not available or is inadequate for a variety of reasons. When this happens, the value \u201cNot Tested\u201d or “No Result Determined” will display in your results. Hemoglobin (Hb): Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1096","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":1096,"es":1245},"pll_sync_post":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/api.stanfordbloodcenter.org\/admin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1096","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/api.stanfordbloodcenter.org\/admin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/api.stanfordbloodcenter.org\/admin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/api.stanfordbloodcenter.org\/admin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/api.stanfordbloodcenter.org\/admin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1096"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/api.stanfordbloodcenter.org\/admin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1096\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1234,"href":"https:\/\/api.stanfordbloodcenter.org\/admin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1096\/revisions\/1234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/api.stanfordbloodcenter.org\/admin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1096"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}