Biochemistry Flashcards
What are the markers of chronic alcohol ingestion? (4)
- raised MCV
- raised triglycerides
- raised GGT
- AST and ALT may be off due to liver damage
What is the enzyme that converts ethanol to acetaldehyde?
Alcohol dehydrogenase
If you are considering a coma due to alcohol check…
serum osmolarity
simplest serum osmolarity formula
2 x [Na]
whats the reference interval for serum osmolarity
275 - 295 mmol/kg
what does it mean if there is a gap between calculated and measured osmolarity?
there is something else in the patients blood contributing to osmolarity thats not measured e.g. methanol / ethylene glycol
Patient presenting with abdominal pain should get what tests?
amylase and LFTs
ALT
aalanine aminotransferase
- just in liver, in hepatocytes
ALP
alkaline phosphatase
- found in liver, bone, small intestine, kidneys and placenta
Albumin
- synthesised in liver
- half-life of 3 weeks
GGT
gamma glutamyl transpeptidase
- found in liver, kidneys, pancreas and prostate
PTR
prothrombin ratio
- clotting actors synthesised in the liver
- half-life of 3 days
- livers synthetic function
Patient with abdominal pain differential diagnosis
- acute pancreatitis
- alcoholic hepatitis
- peptic ulcer
- ascites
Patient presenting with vomiting should get what tests?
- Us & Es
- LFTs
- Amylase
- ABG
Differential diagnosis for a patient presenting with vomiting
- Us & Es
- ABG
- LFT
- Amylase
