Lab Values Flashcards
Sodium (Na+)
Normal range?
function in body?
most abundant cation in ________ fluid
scientific term for high/low levels in blood
135-145 mEq/L
regulates water balance in body
extracellular
hypo/hypernatremia
define pseudohyponatremia
falsely low sodium levels due to other components in blood
Potassium (K+)
Normal range?
function in body?
scientific term for high/low levels in blood
what electrolyte is it heavily dependent on to increase levels?
3.5-5 mEq/L
primary intracellular cation - helps maintain normal levels of fluid in cells
hyper/hypokalemia
magnesium
Chloride (Cl-)
Normal range?
function in body?
most abundant ________ anion
scientific term for high/low levels in blood
96-106 mEq/L
helps balance out cations in extracellular fluid
extracellular
hyper/hypochloremia
Bicarbonate (HCO3-)
Normal range?
function in body?
significant meaning of high/low levels in blood
23-30 mEq/L
same function as CO2
high levels is a sign of blood alkalosis (high pH)
low levels is a sign of blood acidosis (low pH)
Calcium (Ca2+)
Normal range?
function in body?
roughly 99.5% of calcium is found where?
calcium can be falsely low in patients with low albumin, what is the equation formula to calculate correct calcium levels in patients with low albumin?
8.5-10.8 mg/dL
vital for neuromuscular activity
in bone
Cacorrect = [(4-albumin) * 0.8] + Cauncorrect
Phosphate PO4 ^3-
Normal range?
intracellular or extracellular anion?
function in body?
scientific term for high/low levels in blood
what electrolyte is it directly influenced by?
2.6-4.5 mg/dL
intracellular
intracellular metabolism of proteins, lipids, and carbs
hyper/hypophosphatemia
calcium
Magnesium (Mg2+)
Normal range?
intracellular or extracellular cation?
function in body?
scientific term for high/low levels in blood
1.7-2.2 mEq/L
intracellular
heavily involved with potassium: low magnesium will cause hypokalemia
hyper/hypomagnesemia
what are serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen?
why are their lab values relevant?
what are their acronyms?
what is serum creatinine used to estimate?
waste products normally filtered out of blood by kidneys
they help us evaluate a patient’s kidney function
SCr and BUN
creatinine clearance
Serum Creatinine (SCr)
normal range?
function in body?
when is this value relevant?
0.7-1.5 mg/dL (dependent on patient age and muscle status)
it’s the decomposition product of creatine which is used by muscle tissue
if there are significant changes in the value, can indicate changes in kidney function
what is the number one cause of pre-renal injury?
dehydration
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)
normal range?
end product of ______ metabolism in the _______
what are examples of when we see this value elevated?
when do we see low values?
8-20 mg/dL
protein, liver
decreased blood flow to kidneys, kidney dysfunction, high protein diet, upper GI bleed, patients using corticosteroids or tetracyclines
malnourishment or severe hepatic dysfunction
A BUN:SCr ratio greater than or equal to 20:1 is indicative of what?
volume depletion (pre-renal injury)
what is the Cockcroft-Gault Equation used to measure?
creatinine clearance
what condition makes the Cockcroft-Gault Equation inaccurate?
acute kidney injury
what is a limitation of the Cockcroft-Gault Equation?
it is not as accurate in young patients
what are the seven tests we perform that is referred to as a “CHEM-7” panel
what is another name for these tests?
soduim
potassium
chloride
bicarb/CO2
glucose
serum creatinine
blood urea nitrogen
Basic Metabolic Panel
what is included in a Complete Metabolic Panel
Basic metabolic panel (BMP)
liver function tests (LFTs)
magnesium
phosphate
calcium
what are the normal ranges for Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)?
what are they used to determine?
less than 35 units/L
hepatic dysfunction
Alkaline Phosphatase
normal range?
where is it found?
30-120 units/L^3
mostly in bone and liver
Bilirubin
“total” normal range?
0.3-1 mg/dL
Albumin
normal range?
function?
what does low albumin mean?
3.5-5.5 g/dL
major plasma protein involved in maintaining osmotic pressure and binding to various hormones, drugs, and fatty acids
sign of liver failure, protein loss from kidney or skin, or poor nutritional status
what does a “complete blood count” entail?
hemoglobin
hematocrit
WBCs
platelets
RBCs
Hemoglobin
normal range in men?
normal range in women?
function?
14-17.5 g/dL
12-15.3 g/dL
transports oxygen through blood to tissues
what is macrocytic anemia?
what usually causes it?
RBCs become enlarged
vitamin B12 and/or folate deficiencies
what is microcytic anemia?
what causes it?
RBCs are too small
iron deficiency
what is hemolytic anemia?
bursting of RBCs
what is the normal range for platelets?
150,000-450,000 cells/microL
what is thrombocytopenia?
low platelet count that is less than 50,000 cells/microL
what is thrombocythemia?
high platelet count that is over 800,000 cells/microL
normal range of RBCs in men?
normal in women?
4.5-5.9x106 cells/microL
4.1-5.1x106 cells/microL
what are arterial blood gases useful for?
determining if pH of blood is acidotic or alkalotic
what is the normal pH range of blood?
7.35-7.45
what is the normal range of partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2)?
what does this value tell us?
36-44 mmHg
ability for lungs to expel CO2
what is the normal range for arterial HCO3-?
22-26 mEq/L
Respiratory acidosis effect on:
pH
pCO2
HCO3
decreased
increased
normal
Respiratory alkalosis effect on:
pH
pCO2
HCO3
increased
decreased
normal
metabolic acidosis effect on:
pH
pCO2
HCO3
decreased
normal
decreased
metabolic alkalosis effect on:
pH
pCO2
HCO3
increased
normal
increased
metabolic acidosis with respiratory compensation effect on:
pH
pCO2
HCO3
decreased
decreased
decreased
metabolic alkalosis with respiratory compensation effect on:
pH
pCO2
HCO3
increased
increased
increased
Normal range of hematocrit in men and women?
Men: 42-50%
Women: 36-45%
WBC
normal range
4.4-11.3
when are neutrophil levels increased?
infection or cancer
when are eosinophil levels increased?
allergy, asthma, parasite
when are basophil levels increased?
hypersensitivity
when are lymphocyte levels increased?
fighting an infection
when are monocyte levels increased?
pt recovering from infection
when are bands levels increased?
infection or cancer
what is the base excess (BE) value used for?
shows how much HCO3- there is in blood
a high base excess (+2) indicates?
high HCO3- in blood
a low base excess (-2) indicates?
low HCO3- in blood
what is considered a normal range for base excess?
-2 to +2
