Lab Values Flashcards
Ammonia
15-45 ug/dL
Helps maintain acid/base balance. Elevation is a sign of liver disease
Arterial Blood Gas (ABG)
pH
pH: 7.35-7.45 (arterial)
Acid/base level of the blood; Hydrogen ion (H+) level. Excess hydrogen = acidity
Arterial Blood Gas (ABG)
PaCO2
35-45 mm Hg
Partial pressure of carbon dioxide: how well are lungs eliminating
Arterial Blood Gas (ABG)
P02
Partial pressure of oxygen
Arterial Blood Gas (ABG)
Pa02
80-100 mm Hg
Partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood: how much is in the blood
Arterial Blood Gas (ABG)
HC03
22-25 mEq/L
Bicarbonate
Arterial Blood Gas (ABG)
Sa02
94-100%
Arterial oxygen saturation (bound to hemoglobin)
Alkaline Phosphatase
52-142 u/L
Enzyme. Elevation indicates skeletal diseases, liver disease, or bile duct blockage. Levels rise x3 during puberty. Requires 8 hour fast.
Amylase (serum)
25-125 u/L
Enzyme produced by pancreas; elevation indicates pancreatitis
Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)
1-5 pg/mL
Low levels indicate diabetes insipidus. Elevation indicates SIADH
SIADH
Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion
body makes too much antidiuretic hormone (ADH). This hormone helps the kidneys control the amount of water your body loses through the urine. SIADH causes the body to retain too much water
Albumin
3.4-5.4 g/dL (adults)
4-5.8 g/dL (children)
Most abundant plasma protein
ANC
3-7 10^9/L
Absolute neutrophil count: WBC x % neutrophils in differential
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)
10-40 u/L (male)
7-35 u/L (female)
Enzyme. Sensitive indicator of liver disease
Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)
14-20 u/L (male)
10-36 u/L (female)
Enzyme. High levels indicate liver damage
B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP)
<100 pg/mL
Hormone produced by heart ventricles. Increases with age and heart failure
Bilirubin (total serum)
0.3-1.0 mg/dL (adults)
<10 (neonates)
Unconjugated Bilirubin
0.1-1.1 mg/dL
(Indirect) Product of heme released from hbg in RBC hemolysis. High levels indicate liver damage
Conjugated Bilirubin
0.1-2 mg/dL
(Direct) Excreted in stool. High levels can indicate biliary obstruction
Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
8-20 mg/dL
Reflects protein intake and renal excretory capacity
CD4
450-1400/ uL
Type of WBC called helper T cell. <200 indicates AIDS
C-reactive protein (CRP)
<1.0 mg/dL
Marker of inflammation
Calcium
8.2-10.2 mg/dL
Chloride
96-106 mEq/L
Part of CMP. Maintains osmotic balance and therefore BP. Inversely related to bicarbonate. Elevated in dehydration. Decreased in vomiting, gastric suctioning, Addison disease
CMP
comprehensive metabolic panel
blood test that gives doctors information about the body’s fluid balance, levels of electrolytes like sodium and potassium, and how well the kidneys and liver are working.
Cholesterol (total)
<199 mg/dL (adults)
<170 mg/dL (children)
Elevated in CAD, hepatitis, lipid disorders, pancreatitis
CAD
Coronary Artery Disease
HDL
> 60 mg/dL
High HDL = low risk for CAD
high-density lipoprotein
LDL
100-129 mg/dL
High LDL = High risk for CAD
low-density lipoprotein
Creatinine (serum)
- 9-1.3 mg/dL (male)
- 6-1.1 mg/dL (female)
Elevation indicates renal damage
Creatinine kinase (CK) (total)
38-174 u/L (male)
26-140 u/L (female)
Protein found throughout body; released with muscle inflammation/ trauma
CKMB
<6% of CK
<0.06
In acute MI, s increase within 4 hours, peaks within 24 hours-persistent elevations indicate ongoing myocardial damage
creatine kinase myocardial band
D-dimer
<250 mcg/L
Indicates venous thrombosis, DIC, or pulmonary embolism
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
0-15 mm/hr (male)
0-20 mm/hr (women)
0-10 mm/hr (children)
Increased in inflammatory disorders
Gradually increases with age
Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT)
7-47 U/L (male)
5-25 U/L (female)
Enzyme elevated in liver disease and pancreatitis
Glucose (fasting)
<110 mg/dL
126 or higher x2 = DM
Hematocrit (HCT)
42-52% (males)
36-48% (females)
30-42% (children)
% of packed red blood cells. Elevated in high altitude, pregnancy, dehydration
Hemoglobin (Hb)
14-17.4 g/dL (men)
12-16 g/dL (women)
9-15 g/dL (children)
Level of hemoglobin in 100mL of whole blood
Joint Commission recommends blood transfusion at 7 g/dL
Hemoglobin A1c (Hb A1c)
5-7%
% of glycated hb (hb coated with glucose) in the blood; gives an average of blood glucose levels over the past 3 months. 6.5 or higher x2 = DM
LDH (lactate dehydrogenase)
100-190 IU/L
Enzyme found in the presence of cell damage
Lactate (lactic acid)
0.5-2.2 mEq/L
Associated with hypoxia. Levels correlate with Sepsis severity
Magnesium
1.8-2.6 mg/dL
Electrolyte vital for neuromuscular function. Elevated in renal failure
Phosphate
- 7-4.5 mg/dL (adult)
- 5-5.5 mg/dL (children)
Inversely r/t calcium
Higher in children due to bone growth
PTT (partial thromboplastin time)
60-70 seconds
Time it takes to form fibrin clot. Measures intrinsic pathway. Used to monitor heparin therapy
aPTT (activated PTT)
21-35 seconds
Activator added during the test to shorten clotting time
PT (prothrombin time)
11-13 seconds
Time it takes to form fibrin clot. Measures extrinsic pathway. Used to monitor Coumadin therapy
INR (international normalized ratio)
<2.0
Correlates with PT. Therapeutic level is 2-3 if taking Coumadin
Platelets
140-400,000 u/L
<50,000 can cause spontaneous bleeding
Potassium (K)
3.5-5.2 mEq/L
Reciprocal relationship with Sodium. <2.5 causes V Fib. Use ECG when giving IV. Always infuse on a pump.
Sodium (Na)
135-145 mEq/L
Troponin I
<0.35 mcg/L
> 2 mcg/L indicates cardiac damage. Elevation detectable within 3 hours of MI
Troponin T
<0.2 mcg/L
> 0.2 mcg indicate cardiac damage
WBC
4.5-10.5 10^3 cells/mm^3
Increased count (leukocytosis) indicates infection. Decreased amount indicates bone marrow suppression
White Blood Cell
WBC
Bands
3-5%
The presence of many band cells (left shift) indicates infection
WBC
Neutrophils (segs)
55-70%
WBC
Lymphocytes
20-40%
WBC
Eosinophils
1-4%
WBC
Basophils
0.5-1%
WBC
Monocytes
2-8%
RBC
- 2-5.4 million/uL (male)
- 6-5 million/uL (female)
Low count indicates anemia or fluid overload
Red Blood Cells
Uric Acid
- 4-7 mg/dL (male)
- 4-6 mg/dL (female)
Elevated in renal impairment and gout