Lab Values

Question 1

Sodium

Answer 1

135 - 145 mEq/L

Question 2

Causes of High Sodium

Answer 2

High sodium levels (hypernatremia) can be caused by a high-sodium diet or by not drinking enough water and being dehydrated.

High sodium levels can also be caused by high levels of the hormone aldosterone (hyperaldosteronism).

Question 3

Causes of Low Sodium Levels

Answer 3

Low sodium levels (hyponatremia) can be caused by a lot of sweating, burns, severe vomiting or diarrhea, drinking too much water (psychogenic polydipsia), or poor nutrition.

Low sodium levels can also be caused by underactive adrenal glands or thyroid gland, heart failure, kidney disease, cirrhosis, cystic fibrosis, or SIADH (syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion).

Question 4

Potassium

Answer 4

3.5-5 mEq/L

Question 5

Chloride

Answer 5

98-106 mEq/L

Question 6

Calcium

Answer 6

9-10.5 mg/dL

Question 7

Magnesium

Answer 7

Therapeutic range: 1.3 - 2.1mEq/L

For someone on magnesium: 4-7mEq/L

Question 8

Phosphorus

Answer 8

3.5-4.5 mg/dL

Question 9

AST (aspartate aminotransferase):

Answer 9

5-40 units/L

Question 10

ALT (alanine aminotransferase)

Answer 10

8-20 units/L

Question 11

ALP (alkaline phosphatase)

Answer 11

42-128 units/L

Question 12

Amylase

Answer 12

56-90 IU/L

Question 13

Lipase

Answer 13

0-110 units/L

Question 14

Total bilirubin

Answer 14

0-1 mg/dL

Question 15

Direct (conjugated) bilirubin

Answer 15

0-0.3 mg/dL

Question 16

Indirect (unconjugated) bilirubin

Answer 16

0.1-1 mg/dL

Question 17

Albumin

Answer 17

3.5-5 g/dL

Question 18

Alpha-fetoprotein

Question 19

Ammonia

Answer 19

15-110 mg/dL

Question 20

BUN

Answer 20

10-20 mg/dL

Question 21

Serum creatinine

Answer 21

0.6-1.2 mg/dL

Question 22

Creatinine clearance

Answer 22

Females: 80-125 mL/min
Males: 90-139 mL/min

Question 23

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR)

Answer 23

125 mL/min

Question 24

Fasting blood glucose

Question 25

Oral glucose tolerance test

Question 26

Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c)

Answer 26

5% or less indicates absence of diabetes mellitus

5. 7%-6.4% indicates prediabetes mellitus
6. 5% or higher indicates diabetes mellitus

Question 27

T3

Answer 27

70-205 ng/dL

Question 28

T4

Answer 28

4-12 mcg/dL

Question 29

TSH

Answer 29

0.4-6 microunits/mL

Question 30

Urine specific gravity

Answer 30

1.003-1.030