Clinical Biochemistry Flashcards
Core Lab
- found at all hospitals
- operates 24/7
- highly automated
Special Chemistry
- less frequent
- labour intensive
- doesnt need immediate results
Point of care testing
- instruments located outside of chemistry laboratory such as ICU, ER etc
Core lab tests
Electrolytes, blood gases, endocrine, lipids, proteins, glucose, tumour markers, vitamins, toxicology, ethanol, methanol, drug abuse, specific proteins etc
Point of care testing tests
- blood glucose
- urinalysis
- blood gases
- electrolytes
- cardiac markers
- drug screens
Why are tests ordered?
- Diagnosis
- Monitor progression of disease
- Monitor effectiveness of treatment
- Screening population for diseases
- To identify complications of treatment
- For predicting survivability, employability
- To check the accuracy of an unexpected data
- To conduct research
- To prevent malpractice
- For educating residents
- To assess nutritional status and health of an health individual
- Responding to total uncertainty
Are cardiac markers and drug screens qualitative or quantitative?
qualitative tests
- can be recorded and reported
Are urinalysis qualitative or quantitative?
can be qualitative, or quantitative
- hard copy of results generated
- possible to interface hospital LIS
High specific marker
troponin t
- marker of myocardial infarction
- found in cardiac tissue
- released into bloodstream following cell death
Non specific marker
low blood pH (acidosis)
- drugs
- respiratory problems
- renal problems
Lab Tests
- Measuring an analyte as a Marker to distinguish health and disease
- Ideal Marker
- Absolutely specific for a specific disease
- Easily measurable
- Quantity reflective of severity of disease
- Early detection following onset of disease
- Not affected by other biological disturbances
Blood analysis- source
- veins
- arteries
- skin puncture capillary blood
Blood analysis- factors affecting choice of blood source and collection method
- analyte under investigation
- vascular status
- ease of collection
Blood analysis- collection method
syringe, evacuated tube, additives, separator gel, and intravenous ilnes
What are the most widely used tubes?
evacuated tubes
Why are evacuated tubes mostly used?
- negative pressure facilitates collection
- sterile
- easy to use
- universally used colour coded rubber stoppers to denote tube type
- tubes can contain various anticoagulants
- tubes can have additives for specific tests