common laboratory tests

Question 1

Value of Blood Testing

Answer 1

-Evaluates how well organs, such as the kidneys, liver, thyroid, and heart are functioning
-Can be used to diagnose conditions and diseases such as anemia, diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease
-Assess if medications are working
-Identify risk factors for heart disease
-Measure of blood clotting

Question 2

BUN (blood urea nitrogen)

Answer 2

-Normal value 8-25 mg/dl

-Indicator of kidney function
-Measure of nitrogen in blood that comes from the waste product urea
-Values increase with age – infants have lower values

Question 3

Causes of high levels of BUN

Answer 3

-Urinary tract obstruction
-Kidney disease
-Gastrointestinal bleed
-Dehydration
-Burns
-Medication
-High protein diets
-Shock

Question 4

Causes of low levels of BUN

Answer 4

-Liver disorder
-Over hydration
-Malnutrition (not eating enough protein)

Question 5

Creatinine

Answer 5

-Normal value 0.6-1.5 mg/dl

-Chemical waste product produced by muscle
-Entirely filtered and eliminated from the blood by the kidneys
-As men have higher muscle mass, levels are usually higher in men than women

Question 6

Causes of high levels of creatinine

Answer 6

-Dehydration
-Low blood volume
-Medications
-High protein diet
-Kidney failure, infection

Question 7

Causes of low levels of creatinine

Answer 7

-Conditions involving muscle
-Myasthenia gravis
-Muscular dystrophy

Question 8

Glomerular Filtration Rate

Answer 8

There are many calculators available, each organization has one they have identified to use.

Question 9

Hemoglobin

Answer 9

Normal males: 13-18 g/100ml
females: 12-16 g/100ml
-Protein in red cells that carries oxygen
-Causes of low count: body produces too few, body destroys faster than produces and blood loss

Question 10

Hematocrit

Answer 10

Normal males: 45-52%
females: 37-48%
-Volume percentage of red blood cells in blood

Question 11

Red Blood Cell

Answer 11

-Normal - Male: 4.6-6.2 million/mm3
female: 4.2-5.9
million/mm3

-Blood cells that carry oxygen

Question 12

White Blood Cell

Answer 12

Normal - 4,300-10,800/mm3

-Also called leucocytes, cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting against infectious disease and foreign invaders
-High causes - infections
-Low causes - chemo, radiation, leukemia

Question 13

Platelets

Answer 13

Normal 150,000-350,000/mm3

-Cells produced by bone marrow and released into blood stream
-Function is to release hormones necessary to coagulate blood preventing excessive blood loss from an internal or external injury
-High causes – cancer, infection, anemia, inflammatory diseases
-Low causes – bone marrow disease, radiation, chemo therapy

Question 14

Prothrombin - Protime

Answer 14

-Normal 10-12 sec

-Used to determine blood clotting tendency of blood in the measure of warfarin (Coumadin) dosing, liver damage and Vitamin K status

Question 15

Partial thromboplastin time - PTT

Answer 15

-Normal 30-45 sec

-Time it takes the blood to clot
-Usually measured when blood thinner Heparin is used

Question 16

Oxygen Saturation -
O2 sat

Answer 16

Normal > 95%

-Measure of concentration of oxygen in the blood

-Causes of low – anemia, respiratory disease, respiratory depression from narcotics and anesthetics, congenital heart disease and sleep apnea

Question 17

glomerular filtration rate factors to account for

Answer 17

-age
-creatinine level
-gender
-race

Question 18

kindey gamage with normal or high GFR

Answer 18

GFR is > or equal to 90

Question 19

kidney damage with mild decrease in GFR

Answer 19

GFR is 60-89

Question 20

moderate low GFR

Answer 20

GFR is 30-59

Question 21

severe low GFR

Answer 21

15-29

Question 22

kindey failure

Answer 22

< 15 (or dialysis)

Question 23

glucose

Answer 23

“blood sugar test” manage patients with diabetes

Question 24

cholestrol

Answer 24

normal totoal serum range is 100 to 199 mg/dl. adding “HDL” goof cholestoral and “LDL” bad cholestrol

Question 25

serum bilirubin

Answer 25

-measures amount of waste prodcuts from the breakdsoun of hemoglobin
-when high levels patients skin and eyes become yellow (jaudince)

Question 26

electrocardiograph

Answer 26

measures electrical activity of the heart and displays tracing on a monitor

Question 27

electrodes are placed on cheast

Answer 27

white upper right, black upper left and red lower left