Lab Values

Question 1

sodium

Answer 1

135 - 145 (mEq/L)

Critical: < 120 or > 160

Question 2

chloride

Answer 2

98 - 106 (mEq/L))

Question 3

potassium

Answer 3

3.5 - 5 (mmol/L)

Critical: < 3 or > 6

Question 4

magnesium

Answer 4

1.6 - 2.6 (mg/dL)

Question 5

calcium

Answer 5

8.5 - 10.5 (mg/dL)

Question 6

phosphorus

Answer 6

2.5 - 4.5 (mg/dL)

Question 7

WBC

(white blood cell)

Answer 7

5,000 - 10,000 (mcL)

Critical value: < 2,000 or > 40,000

Question 8

RBC: male and female

(red blood cell)

Answer 8

• male: 4.7 - 6.6 (mcL)
• female: 4.2 - 5.4 (mcL)

Question 9

Hgb: male, female, pregnant

(hemoglobin)

Answer 9

• male: 14 - 18 (g/dL)
• female: 12 - 16 (g/dL)
• pregnant: > 11 (g/dL)

Question 10

Hct: male, female, pregnant

(hematocrit)

Answer 10

• male: 42 - 52 %
• female: 37 - 47 %
• pregnant: > 33 %

Question 11

platelets

Answer 11

150,000 - 400,000 (mcL)

Critical value: < 50,000 or > 1 million

Question 12

blood urea nitrogen

(BUN)

Answer 12

10 - 20 (mg/dL)

critical BUN: > 100

Question 13

creatinine

Answer 13

0.6 - 1.2 (mg/dL)

critical: >4

Question 14

glomerular filtration rate

(GFR)

Answer 14

> 90 (mL/min)

Average is 125 (mL/min)

Question 15

bilirubin in newborn

Answer 15

• < 14 (mg/dL), newborn is managed at home with sunlight and increased feedings
• > 14 (mg/dL), newborn is hospitalised
• > 20 (mg/dL), is considered toxic

Adult bilirubin is about 1- 2, newborn bilirubin is always a bit high around 10.

Question 16

• (ALT) alanine aminotransferase
• (AST) aspartate aminotransferase
• (ALP) alkaline phosphatase

Answer 16

• ALT: 4 - 36 (U/L)
• AST: 0 - 25 (U/L)
• ALP: 20 - 140 (U/L)
• A mild elevation will be 2 - 3 times higher than normal
• A severe elevation can be in the hundreds or thousands

Question 17

total cholesterol

Answer 17

< 200 (mg/dL)

Question 18

HDL: male, female

(High-density lipoproteins)

Answer 18

• male: > 40 (1.0 mmol/L)
• female: > 50 (1.3 mmol/L)

> 60 (1.6 mmol/L) is ideal

Question 19

LDL

(Low-density lipoproteins)

Answer 19

< 100 (mg/dL)

Question 20

protein

Answer 20

6 - 8.3 (g/dL)

Question 21

ammonia

Answer 21

15 - 56 (μmol/L)

Question 22

albumin

Answer 22

3.5 - 5 (g/dL)

Question 23

PT normal/ control

(prothrombin time)

Answer 23

PT normal/ control: 11 - 12.5 seconds

Question 24

PT therapeutic

(prothrombin time)

Answer 24

1.5 - 2 times the control/ normal value

Example:
- 11 x 1.5 = 16.5
- 12.5 x 2 = 25
- Therapeutic level: 16.5 - 25 seconds

Labs are different and may have a different control. If there is not a control number indicated use 11 - 12.5. The higher the number the less risk that a blood clot will form. But it also puts the client at risk for bleeding.

Question 25

INR: normal, therapeutic

(international normalised ratio)

Answer 25

• normal: 0.8 - 1.1
• therapeutic: 2 - 3

Therapeutic: the higher the number the less risk that a blood clot will form. But it also puts the client at risk for bleeding.

Question 26

aPTT: (normal/ control)

(activated partial thromboplastin time)

Answer 26

a PTT normal/ control: 25 - 35 seconds

Question 27

aPTT: therapeutic

(activated partial thromboplastin time)

Answer 27

aPTT: 1.5 - 2.5 times the control/ normal value

Example:
- 25 x 1.5 = 37.5 seconds
- 35 x 2.5 = 87.5 seconds
- Therapeutic level: 37.5 - 87.5 seconds

Lana are different and may have a different control. Some labs use 20 - 30 and some use 30 - 40. If there is not a control number indicated use 25 - 35 seconds. The higher the number the less risk that a blood clot will form. But it also puts the client at risk for bleeding.

Question 28

amylase and lipase

Answer 28

0 - 160 (U/L)

Question 29

HbA1c

(glycated hemoglobin)

Answer 29

• non-diabetic: 4 - 5.7 %
• good diabetes control: < 7 %
• poor diabetes control: > 9 %

Question 30

Blood sugar: fasting, random, critical

Answer 30

• fasting: 70 - 110 mg/dL (3.9 - 6.1 mmol/L) - no food for at least 8 hours before the test
• random: <= 200 mg/dL (<= 11.1 mmol/L) - may have eaten before the test
• critical: < 50 or > 400 mg/dL (< 2.8 -> 22.2 mmol/L)

Question 31

BNP

(B-type natriuretic peptide or brain natriuretic peptide)

Answer 31

0 - 100 (pg/mL)

Question 32

troponin

Answer 32

0 - 0.04 (ng/mL)

Question 33

CK

(creatine kinase)

Answer 33

22 - 198 (U/L)

Question 34

utica acid

Answer 34

2.4 - 7 (mg/dL)

Question 35

digoxin

Answer 35

1 - 2 (ng/mL)

2 or greater is considered toxicity

Question 36

lithium

Answer 36

0.6 - 1.2 (mmol/L)

2 or greater is considered toxicity

Question 37

phenytoin

Answer 37

10 - 20 (mcg/mL)

Greater than 20 is considered toxic

Question 38

What is the normal respiration rate for an adult?

Answer 38

12 - 20 breaths per minute

Question 39

What is a normal pulse oximetry/ oxygen (O2) saturation ?

Answer 39

95% - 100%

Question 40

What is a normal heart rate for an adult ?

Answer 40

• 60 - 100 beats per minute
• strong and regular

Question 41

What is a normal blood pressure (BP)?

Answer 41

90/60 to 120/80 (mmHg)

• systolic is the first number
• diastolic is the second number

Question 42

What is a normal body temperature ?

Answer 42

96.8° - 100.4° F

36° - 38° C

Question 43

What labs are included in a CBC (complete blood count)?

Answer 43

• Red blood cell count
• Hemoglobin
• Hematocrit
• White blood cell count

Question 44

What labs are included in a BMP (basic metabolic panel)?

Answer 44

• glucose
• calcium
• potassium
• bicarbonate
• chloride
• BUN
• creatinine

Question 45

What labs are included in a CMP (complete metabolic panel)?

Answer 45

• glucose
• calcium
• potassium
• bicarbonate
• chloride
• BUN
• creatinine
• albumin
• total protein
• ALP and AST
• bilirum