Lab Cheat Sheet Flashcards
Hemoglobin (Hgb)
Hgb in the blood is a rapid indication of the indirect measurement of RBC count. Hgb has the primary function of oxygen and CO2 transportation. Commonly part of a CBC.
Hemoglobin (Hgb)
Hematocrit (Hct)
Percentage of the total blood volume that is made up of RBCs
White Blood Cell (WBC)
Helpful in evaluation: infection, neoplasm, allergy or immunosuppression
Red Blood Cell (RBC)
RBCs in peripheral blood (RBC. Hgb, and Hematocrit are closely related)
Platelet (PLT)
Essential to blood clotting. Is used to evaluate thrombocytopenia
Sodium
135-145 mEq/L
Evaluate and monitor fluid and electrolyte balance.
Potassium
3.5-5 mmol/L
Routine to evaluate during illness as it is important for cardiac function
Calcium
8.6-10.2 mg/dL
Vital for muscle contractility, cardiac function, neural transmission and clotting.
Magnesium
1.5-2.5 mEq/L
Identify deficiencies or overload. Essential for nearly all metabolic processes
BUN
Adult: 10-20 mg/dL Elderly: may be slightly higher than an adult Child: 5-18 Infant: 5-18 Newborn: 3-12 Cord: 21-40
Critical value: >100 indicates serious impairment of renal function Rough measurement of renal function and glomerular filtration (with normal liver function)
Creatinine
Less than 2: 0.1-0.4 mg/dL 2-6 years:0.2-0.5 6-10:0.3-0.6 10-18: 0.4-1.0 18-41 females: 0.5-1.0 18-41 males:0.6-1.2 41-61 females: 0.5-1.1 41-61 males: 0.6-1.3 \+61 females: 0.5-1.2 \+61 males: 0.7-1.3
Used to diagnose impaired renal function (minimally affect by hepatic function, unlike BUN, and tends to show “chronicity”)
Cholesterol
Adult: desirable is < 200 mg/dL and “borderline” 200-239, “high” >240
Child: 120-200
Infant: 70-175
Newborn: 53-135
Used to determine risk for coronary heart disease and evaluation of hyperlipidemias
This test requires fasting
Triglycerides
Adult: desirable is <150, borderline is 150-199, high is 200-499, very high is >500
Used to determine risk for coronary heart disease
Albumin
3.4-5.4 g/dL
Liver and kidney condition evaluation
Hemoglobin A1C
Average blood sugar over the past 2-3 months
Glucose, Serum
Child > 2 years to adulthood: 70-110 mg/dL
Elderly: increase in normal range after 50 years old
Child < 2 years: 60-100
Infant: 40-90 Measures blood glucose, commonly used to evaluate diabetic patients
Glucose, Point of Care
70-140 mg/dL
Finger stick to check blood glucose levels throughout the day
Urinalysis (UA
Routine diagnostic to evaluate kidneys and metabolic processes. Can detect urinary tract diseases (UTIs, infection, glomerulonephritis).
Specific gravity
Adult: 1.005-1.030
Elders: values decrease with age
Newborn: 1.001-1.020
Measure of concentration of particles (waste products and electrolytes) Low=dilute urine, high=concentrated urine
pH
4.6-8 (average is 6.0)
Acid base balance in the kidneys (through reabsorbing Na and excreting Hydrogen)
Protein
0-8 mg/dL
50-80 mg/24 hr (at rest)
<250 mg/24 hr (during exercise) Sensitive indicator of kidney function
- Renal disease
- Can indicate preeclampsia in pregnant women
Glucose
Fresh specimen: none
24 hour specimen:
50-300 mg/24 hr Monitor with diabetes control
- Diabetes
- Pregnancy
Ketones
None (either negative or positive result)
Product of fatty acid breakdown when glucose cannot be transferred into the cells because of insulin insufficiency Poorly controlled
diabetes and
hyperglycemia
Blood
Evaluate for bleeding from kidneys that would produce a dark red color and light red would be lower urinary tract
(monitor for women who could contaminate sample accidentally with menses)
Kidney involvement
