Diagnostics: introduction and chemical pathology lab Flashcards
Recall 4 cardiac enzymes that may be measured in the lab to assess cardiac damage
Troponins
Creatine kinase
Aspartate aminotransferase
Lactate dehydrogenase
Why are cardiac enzymes a good measure of cardiac damage?
They are released when heart tissue is damaged
What colour top is on the U&Es blood test bottle?
Red/ yellow
What is measured in a U&E test?
Na+
K+
Urea
Creatinine
Why are U&Es useful for assessing kidney function?
Urea = breakdown product of protein
Creatinine = constantly produced by muscles
Both excreted by kidneys
What is urea a good marker of, in addition to kidney function?
Extent of dehydration
Why is urea a good marker of dehydration?
dehydration –> renal water resorption –> urea coincidentally reabsorbed
What happens to urea and creatinine levels in renal disease?
Both rise
Describe the movement of creatinine in the kidney
Filtered out but NEVER reabsorbed
What colour is the top of the glucose blood test tube?
Grey
What is inside the glucose blood test tubes and what is its purpose?
Fluoride oxalate
Causes erythrocyte death to prevent glucose consumption
What is the erythrocyte sedimentation rate?
o The rate at which RBCs settle out of suspension in blood plasma, measured under standard conditions
What things are commonly measured in LFTs?
Albumin
Bilirubin
ALP
ALT
Recall 3 enzymes commonly measured when assessing liver function
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) Aspartate transaminase (AST) Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
What must be taken into account when measuring liver enzymes?
ALP is both a bone and a liver enzyme and so you must only measure the liver version
