What numbers do I need?

At a glance

Blood pressure

The heart calculator uses the top number (systolic) in mm Hg. A single reading can be high because of stress or caffeine, so use a typical value from several readings if you can (NHLBI). What the ranges mean: blood pressure ranges explained. If you take blood pressure medicine, enter the reading you have on treatment and answer yes to the medicine question.

Cholesterol

A lipid panel reports total cholesterol, HDL ("good") cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides (MedlinePlus). The heart calculator needs total and HDL in mg/dL, the US standard. If your report uses mmol/L, multiply by 38.67 to get mg/dL. To work out LDL from these numbers, use the LDL calculator.

eGFR

eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) shows how well your kidneys filter blood. It is calculated from a creatinine blood test and is usually printed on a metabolic panel (NIDDK). If your report shows only creatinine, our eGFR calculator estimates it with the CKD-EPI 2021 equation and shows the kidney stage (Inker 2021).

AST, ALT and platelets

AST and ALT are liver enzymes measured in a liver panel or comprehensive metabolic panel (MedlinePlus). Platelets are part of a complete blood count (MedlinePlus). US reports often show platelets as "K/µL" or "×10³/µL"; that number, for example 250, is the same as ×10⁹/L, which FIB-4 uses.

Which blood tests show what?

Many people search for the test name only after a doctor mentions it. This is a plain map of the common ones and what they measure.

What blood test shows kidney function?

Creatinine, a waste product filtered by the kidneys, is measured in a basic or comprehensive metabolic panel, and labs use it to calculate eGFR (NIDDK) (MedlinePlus). The panel also includes blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (MedlinePlus). A urine test, the albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), checks for kidney damage that eGFR can miss, so the two are read together (KDIGO 2024). See the eGFR calculator for what the numbers mean.

What blood test shows liver function?

A liver function panel can include albumin, total protein, ALP, ALT, AST, GGT, bilirubin, LDH and prothrombin time (MedlinePlus). A comprehensive metabolic panel covers part of this: albumin, total protein, ALP, ALT, AST and bilirubin (MedlinePlus). An abnormal result does not always mean a liver problem; for example, a high ALP can come from bone (MedlinePlus). If you have AST, ALT and a platelet count, the FIB-4 calculator estimates the chance of liver scarring.

What blood test shows diabetes?

Diabetes and prediabetes are diagnosed with an A1C test, a fasting plasma glucose test or an oral glucose tolerance test (ADA Standards 2026). An A1C of 5.7% to 6.4% is the prediabetes range and 6.5% or above is the diabetes range (CDC). Glucose is also part of a metabolic panel (MedlinePlus). The full ranges are on our prediabetes page.

Basic or comprehensive metabolic panel?

A comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) has 14 tests. A basic metabolic panel (BMP) has 8 of them and leaves out total protein, albumin, bilirubin and the liver enzymes ALP, ALT and AST (MedlinePlus). So for FIB-4 you need a CMP or a liver panel, plus a complete blood count for platelets (MedlinePlus). You may be asked to fast for a few hours before a metabolic panel (MedlinePlus).

How to get these numbers

• Your patient portal. Most recent lab results are listed there.
• Your next checkup. Ask for a copy of your lipid panel and metabolic panel results.
• A pharmacy blood pressure station or home monitor for blood pressure.

Diabetes is diagnosed with blood tests such as A1C or fasting glucose, not with any risk score (ADA Standards 2026). If a check suggests higher risk, those tests are the next step.