Follow-up Guide

When to See a Doctor After Getting Results

5 min read · Practical guide

Emergency? Call 112 immediately.

If you have chest pain, difficulty breathing, sudden severe headache, weakness on one side, loss of consciousness, or signs of a heart attack or stroke — do not read this guide. Call emergency services now.

X-ray Findings: Urgency Guide

See doctor TODAY / Emergency

⚠Pneumothorax (collapsed lung) — especially if symptomatic
⚠Large pleural effusion with breathing difficulty
⚠Free air under diaphragm (suggests perforation)
⚠Widened mediastinum (aortic emergency)
⚠Suspicious fracture with pain or instability

See doctor within 1–2 weeks

→New lung opacity / consolidation (possible pneumonia)
→Cardiomegaly (enlarged heart) if new or worsening
→New pulmonary nodule (> 6mm)
→Small pleural effusion with no symptoms
→Moderate scoliosis in a young person

Routine / generally reassuring

✓"No acute abnormality" / "Unremarkable" report
✓Calcifications (unless new or in a suspicious location)
✓Mild degenerative changes / spondylosis in older adults
✓Small pulmonary nodule (<6mm, first-time finding)
✓Minor scoliosis in an adult without symptoms

Blood Test Results: Urgency Guide

Critical — Seek care immediately

⚠Haemoglobin < 7 g/dL (especially if symptomatic)
⚠Platelets < 50,000/μL
⚠Potassium < 2.5 or > 6.5 mEq/L
⚠Blood glucose < 50 or > 500 mg/dL
⚠Serum Creatinine sudden rise to > 5 mg/dL
⚠INR > 5 (if on blood thinners)

See doctor within 1–2 weeks

→Haemoglobin 7–10 g/dL (mild to moderate anaemia)
→New HbA1c ≥ 6.5% (diabetes)
→TSH significantly out of range (< 0.1 or > 10)
→LFT (SGPT/SGOT) > 3x upper limit
→LDL cholesterol > 160 mg/dL
→Creatinine gradually increasing

Discuss at next routine appointment

✓Mild anaemia (Hb 10–12 in women) with no symptoms
✓Borderline fasting sugar (100–125 mg/dL)
✓HbA1c 5.7–6.4% (pre-diabetes) — lifestyle changes first
✓Mildly elevated cholesterol in young, otherwise healthy person
✓TSH mildly elevated (4–7) without symptoms

ECG Findings: Urgency Guide

Emergency — Call 112 or go to A&E now

⚠New ST elevation in multiple leads (possible heart attack)
⚠Ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia
⚠Complete heart block (third-degree AV block)
⚠Prolonged QTc > 550ms with dizziness or palpitations

See cardiologist within 1–2 weeks

→New atrial fibrillation (especially if over 65)
→New LBBB (Left Bundle Branch Block)
→ST depression or significant T-wave inversion
→Prolonged QTc > 480ms (especially on new medication)

Generally reassuring / routine follow-up

✓"Normal ECG" / "Normal sinus rhythm"
✓Sinus bradycardia in a fit, asymptomatic person (athlete)
✓Isolated RBBB (Right Bundle Branch Block) in asymptomatic person
✓"Non-specific ST-T changes" with no symptoms
✓Old/completed infarct pattern if already known

Prepare for Your Doctor Appointment

When you see your doctor, bring:

→The original report / film / printout
→A list of your current symptoms and when they started
→A list of all current medications
→Any previous reports for comparison
→Your questions written down (don't rely on memory)

Understand your report before your appointment

Upload your report and get a plain-language explanation — so you can ask your doctor the right questions. Starting at ₹49.

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