Lab Values

Question 1

Sodium

Answer 1

135-145 mEq/L

-maintains water balance in the body
-normalizes function of nerve and muscle cells (smooth and skeletal)
- maintain acid/base balance for kidney function

Question 2

Potassium

Answer 2

3.5-5 mEq/L

• maintain water balance in body
  -essential for contraction of cardiac, muscle, and neuron transmission
  -maintain acid/base balance for kidney funciton

“buy 3-5 bananas in a bunch and get them 1/2 ripe”

Question 3

Calcium

Answer 3

9-11 mg/dL

-essential for blood clotting
- essential in neurotransmitter release
-strengthens bones and teeth
- normalizes function of nerve and contraction of muscle cells (smooth, skeletal, and cardiac)

“CAL 911!”

Question 4

Magnesium

Answer 4

1.5-2.5 mEq/L

• maintain and form bones, regulates BP
• easily allow tissue to absorb insulin
• triggers sodium/potassium pump to maintain normal ion balance
• normalizes function of nerve and contraction of muscle cells)

“magnifying glass magnifies by 1.5-2.5x”

Question 5

BUN

Answer 5

10-20 mg/dL

blood urea nitrogen test
measures the amount of urea nitrogen thats in your blood

“hamburger (BUN) costs big bucks 10-20 ($10-$20) to buy a burger and fries at a restaurant!”

Question 6

Creatinine

Answer 6

0.5-1.2 mg/dL

a waste product that comes from the digestion of protein in your food and the normal breakdown of muscle tissue

Question 7

Cholesterol

Answer 7

<200 mg

LDL “bad” cholesterol: <100 mg
HDL ‘good’ cholesterol: male >45 mg, female>55 mg
triglycerides: <150mg

Question 8

Hgb

Answer 8

a hemoglobin test measures the amount of hemoglobin in blood. hemoglobin is a protein that carries oxygen to the body’s organs and tissues and transports carbon dioxide from organs back to lungs

men: 13.5-17.5 g/dL
women:12-16 g/dL

“girls (12-16) mature faster than boys (14-18)”

Question 9

Hct

Answer 9

measures how much of a persons blood is made up of red blood cells

women:36%-46%
men: 42%-52%

“Again, girls (37-47%) mature faster than boys (42-52%)”

Question 10

WBC

Answer 10

measures number of white blood cells in blood

5,000-10,000

“fight! 1 punch (5 fingers) 2 punches (10 fingers)

Question 11

Chloride

Answer 11

proper balance of body fluids; essential part of digestive (stomach) juices

95-105 mEq/L

Question 12

glucose

Answer 12

main type of sugar in the blood and is the major source of energy for the body’s cells

fasting - 70-110 mg/dL
after eating - over 120 mg/dL

HbA1C 4%-6%

Question 13

phosphorous

Answer 13

2.5-4.5 mg/dL

important component of the lipid bilayer , DNA, RNA, and proteins
responsible for several enzymatic reactions within the cell e.g., glycolysis and ammoniagenesis

Question 14

Albumin

Answer 14

3.5-5 g/dL

(liver)
helps keep fluid from leaking out of your blood vessels into other tissues; carries hormones, vitamins, and enzymes throughout your body

without enough fluid can leak out of your blood and build up in your lungs!, abdomen, or other body parts

Question 15

Pre albumin

Answer 15

15-35 mg/dL

protein made in the liver; helps carry thyroid hormones and vitamin A thru blood stream; it helps control how your body uses energy

** if low this may be a sign of malnutrition

Question 16

WBC

Answer 16

5,000-10,000

measures the number of white blood cells in blood; apart of a complete blood count (CBC); high number indicates infection

Question 17

RBC

Answer 17

men: 4.7-6.1
women: 4.2-5.4

a group of tests that meaure many different parts and features of the blood; used to help diagnois cell disorders such as anemia

Question 18

Plt

Answer 18

150,000-400,000

meauses number of platelets in the blood

a lower than norm is called thrombocytopenia - this condition can cause you to bleed too much after a cut or injury. a higher than normal platelet count is called thrombocytosis

Question 19

PT

Answer 19

11-13 seconds

prothrombin time test measures how long it takes the liquid portion (plasma) of your blood to clot

Question 20

PTT

Answer 20

30-40 seconds
a partial thromboplastin time test measures how long it takes for a clot to form in a blood sample.

Question 21

INR

Answer 21

the international normalised ratio blood test tells you how long it takes for your blood to clot; it is used to test clotting time in people taking warfarin ( drug used to treat and prevent blood clots)
the doc can use this information to work out what dose of warfarin a pt should take

Question 22

AST

Answer 22

men: 14-20 units/L
women: 10-36 units/L

measures the amount of aspartate transferase in your blood; helps assess the health of the liver;

Question 23

ALT

Answer 23

4-36 units

measures amount of alanine transaminase in blood; when liver cells are damaged they release ALT into the bloodstream; high levels may be a sign of liver injury or disease

Question 24

alkaline phosphatase

Answer 24

measures the amount of ALP (alkaline phosphatase in blood; made in liver and bones; high levels may indicate liver disease or certain bone disorders but the test alone cannot diagnoise a condition

Question 25

Bilirubin

Answer 25

0.3-1 mg
bilirubin is a yellowish substance made during the process of breaking down old red blood cells; bilirubin is found in bile;

testing is done to investigate JAUNDICE - a yellowing of the skin caused by high levels of bilirubin

Question 26

Lipase

Answer 26

0-160 units

checks for disease of the pancreas, most often acute pancreatitis

Question 27

amylase

Answer 27

measured in blood or urine;
test is used to diagnos problems with the pancreas, including pancreatitis

Question 28

BNP

Answer 28

B-type natriuretic peptide test is a blood test measures levels of a protein called BNP that is made in your heart and blood vessels
BNP levels are higher than normal when you have heart failure