Lesson 1 Flashcards
What are lab tests?
Used to confirm, clarify, or rule out medical conditons
What are the types of blood tests?
Blood composition test, blood function test, blood chemistry test, Infectious disease and immuno diagnostic test
What does a blood composition test test for?
Blood components
What does a blood function test test for?
Presence or effectiveness of cells and other factors responsible for blood clotting
What does a blood chemistry test test for?
Looks at particular substances: sodium, glucose, hormones in blood
What does an infectious disease and immuno diagnostic test test for?
Presence of antigen such as virus or bacteria, or antibodies for the antigen
What is an antigen?
Substance that the body recognizes as foreign, which triggers immuno response
What is an antibody?
Cell that attacks antigen to protect the body
What is blood?
Fluid substance that carries O2 and nutrients to tissues and removes waste products from tissues
What does blood consist of?
Cells and plasma; about 1/2 plasma and 1/2 cells
What is the role of red blood cells?
carry oxygen and nutrients to tissues and takes carbon dioxide and waste from tissues
What is the role of white blood cells?
Immune defense and fighting disease
What is the role of platelets?
Clotting (coagulation)
What is hemoglobin?
Protein in RBCs that allows gas exchange to occur
What are the 2 groups of WBCs?
Granulocytes and agranulocytes
What are the types of granulocytes?
Neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils
What are the types of agranulocytes?
Lymphocytes and monocytes
Why is coagulating necessary?
To prevent from bleeding to death
What is the role of plasma?
Carries nutrients, proteins, minerals, and hormones to different cells in the body; removes chemical waste and maintains blood volume level
What is a hemogram?
A series of tests that provide information about all the components of the blood
What is the purpose of a hemogram?
It evaluates a patient’s overall health and can detect a wide range of disorders from anemia and infections to rarer conditions
What does a CBC- Complete Blood Count test for?
Examines # of RBCs and WBCs in the blood
What indicates anemia?
low # of RBCs
What are the components of a CBC?
Hemoglobin, RBC count, hematocrit/packed cell volume, total WBC count, differential WBC count, and platelet count
What does hemoglobin test for?
Tests for amount of hemoglobin
What are normal values for hemoglobin?
Males- 12 to 17g/ 100ml
Females- 11 to 15g/ 100 ml
What does an increase in hemoglobin mean?
Occurs in or with high altitudes, lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), polycythemia, and inappropriate use of certain drugs
What does a decrease in hemoglobin mean?
Anemia
What does red blood cell count test for?
Amount of mature RBCs
What are normal values for red blood cell count?
Males- between 4.5 and 6.0 cmm
Females- between 4.0 and 4.5 cmm
What does an increase in RBC count mean?
Occurs in or with high altitudes, COPD, polycythemia
What does a decrease in RBC count mean?
Anemia
What does the hematocrit or packed cell volume test for?
Proportion of RBCs in a sample of blood
What is the normal range for hematocrit/ packed cell volume?
Males- 40%-50% of total volume
Females- 37%-47% of total volume
What are the types of RBC indices (Wintrobe Indices?)
Mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration
What are RBC indices (Wintrobe Indices)
Provides additional info about RBC composition in blood
What does mean corpuscular volume (MCV) test for?
Measures size or volume of an RBC
What are the normal values for MCV?
Between 80 to 100 cu microns
What does a lower value of MCV mean?
Small size of RBC- microcytic anemia
What does a higher value of MCV mean?
Larger size- macrocytic
What does mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) test for?
Measures amount or weight of hemoglobin present in an RBC
What are the normal values for MCH?
27-31 picograms/cell
What causes a lower MCH? What increases MCH?
Aspirin; contraceptives
What does mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) test for?
Measures both the size of RBCs and the concentration (amount or weight) of hemoglobin within each cell
What are the normal values for MCHC?
32-36 g/dl
What can cause changes in hematocrit or packed cell volume value?
Some medications
What can MCHC allow physicians to classify anemia as?
Based on color (given by the hemoglobin present) as hypochromic, normochromic, or hyperchromic type
What can cause changes in the MCHC value?
Some medications; acyclovir, multivitamins
What does the WBC count test for?
Amount of WBCs in blood
What are the normal values for WBC?
4500-10500 per cc mm (cubic millimeter)
What does an increase in WBC mean? Decrease?
Increase indicates infection of malignancy; decrease indicates immunosuppression due to use of certain diseases or drugs
What does differential WBC test for?
Measures relative proportion of each type of WBC
What are the normal values for neutrophils in a differential WBC?
40%-75% or 1500-8000 per cc mm
What does an increase in neutrophils indicate? Decrease?
Increase- infection
Decrease- occurs w/ bone marrow depression due to some cancer treatments (chemo) or infections such as lupus
What are the normal values for basophils in a differential WBC?
0%-2% or 0-600 per cc mm
What does an increase in basophils indicate? Decrease?
Increase- hyperthyroidism, pregnancy, ovulation
Decrease- occurs w/ leukemia, polycythemia, Hodgkin’s disease, ulcerative colitis
What are the normal values for eosinophils in a differential WBC?
0%-6% or 0-600 per cc mm
What does an increase in eosinophils indicate? Decrease?
Increase- parasitic infections, allergies, skin diseases, some neoplasms
Decrease- occurs w/ trauma, surgery, Cushing’s disease
What are the normal ranges for lymphocytes in a differential WBC?
20%-25% or 1000-4500 per cc mm
What does an increase in lymphocytes indicate? Decrease?
Increase- infections, autoimmune disease, or ulcerative colitis
Decrease- occurs w/ congestive heart failure, renal failure, corticosteroid therapy
What are the normal values for monocytes?
2%-10% or 0-800 per cc mm
What does an increase in monocytes indicate?
Infections, autoimmune disease, or ulcerative colitis
What does the peripheral blood smear test for?
Provides info about the #, shape, and appearance of RBCs
What does the size of an RBC in a peripheral blood smear mean?
Macrocytic- megaloblastic anemia, folic acid, B12 deficiency
Normocytic- hemolytic anemia, or blood loss anemia
Microcytic- iron deficiency, thalassemia, sideroblastic anemia
What does the color of an RBC in a peripheral blood smear mean?
Hypochromic- iron deficiency anemia
Normochromic- hemolytic anemia
What does the shape of an RBC in a peripheral blood smear mean?
Normal appearance- biconcave disc
Spherical shaped- spherocytosis
Sickle shaped- sickle cell anemia
What are the normal values for serum iron?
Males- 55-150 ug/dl
Females- 40-155 ug/dl
What does an increase in serum iron mean?
Occurs w/ hemosiderosis, hemochromatosis, and certain anemias like hemolytic and pernicious anemia
What does the schilling test measure?
B12 absorption from intestine
What are the normal values for Shilling test? (B12 values)
Normal excretion via urine is 8%-40%
What does a lower B12 value in a Schilling test mean?
Suggests pernicious anemia
What is a reticulocyte?
Immature blood cell
What does an increase in reticulocyte count mean? Decrease?
Increase- hemolytic anemia
Decrease- occurs w/ aplastic anemia or iron deficiency anemia
What does the appearance in a reticulocyte mean?
Normal- biconcave disc
Spherical- spherocytosis
Sickle- sickle-cell anemia
What is bone marrow aspiration?
A test that can be performed when other tests are inconclusive; for serious forms of anemia
What are the types of non-specific coagulation tests?
WBC count, bleeding time, clotting time
What does bleeding time test for?
Results show how well platelets are performing
What are the normal values for bleeding time?
Ivy method- 1-6 mins
Duke method- 1-3 mins
What does clotting time test for?
Measures how long it takes blood to clot
What are the normal values for clotting time?
8-15 mins
What are the types of specific coagulation tests?
Platelet count, PPT or aPPT, prothrombin time and international normalized ratio (INR), plasma fibrinogen, d-dimer tests
What are the normal values for platelet count?
150,000-350,000 per cc mm
What does an increase in platelet count mean? Decrease?
Increase- seen in cold weather, high altitudes, strenuous exercise
Decrease- idiopathic thrombocytopenia (ITP), purpura due to nutritional deficiencies, or autoimmune disease secondary to a viral infection
What does the PPT or aPPT test for?
Measures efficacy of the intrinsic and common pathways; evaluates factors which are blood components that are involved in blood coagulation; factors I, II, V, VIII, XIX, XI, XII
What are the normal values for aPPT and PPT?
aPPT- 0-40 sec
PPT- 60-70 sec
What does an increase in PPT or aPPT mean? Decrease?
Increase- seen in hereditary diseases such as hemophilia, vitamin K deficiency, liver cirrhosis, anticoagulation drug therapy
Decrease- seen in intravascular coagulation or severe hemorrhage and extensive cancer
What does prothrombin time and international normalized ratio (INR) test for?
Measures efficacy of the extrinsic pathways; factors II, VII, V, X
What are the normal values for prothrombin time and international normalized ratio (INR)?
9.5-13.5 sec
Ideal INR- 1-1.3
What does an increase in prothrombin time and INR mean? Decrease?
Increase- anticoagulant drugs, liver diseases, vitamin K deficiency, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), massive blood transfusions, hypothermia
Decrease- seen w/ vitamin K supplements and during transfusion of fresh frozen plasma
What does plasma fibrinogen test for?
Measures levels of fibrinogen in blood
What are the normal values for plasma fibrinogen?
150-400 mg/dl
What does an increase in plasma fibrinogen mean? Decrease?
Increase- inflammatory conditions, trauma, cancers, some drugs
Decrease- end-stage liver disease, afibrinogenemia, hypofibrinogenemia, DIC, large blood transfusions
What do D-Dimer tests test for?
Used to detect abnormal coagulation of blood
What are the normal values in D-Dimer tests?
Less than 500 ng/ml
What does an increase in d-dimer tests mean?
Increase- suggest deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
Normal exclude possibility of DVT or pulmonary embolism (PE)
What antigens may be present on an RBC which determines blood type?
A, B, or none
What is the blood type with A antigens?
Type A blood
What is the blood type with B antigens?
Type B blood
What is the blood type with A and B antigens?
Type AB blood
What is the blood type with no antigens?
Type O blood
What can Type A donate to and receive?
Donate- A and AB
Receive- A or O
What can Type AB donate to and receive?
Donate- B
Receive- A, B, AB, or O
What can Type B donate to and recieve?
Donate- AB
Receive- B or O
What can type O donate to and receive?
Donate- Universal donor (everyone)
Receive- O
What is RH typing?
Rhesus (Rh) antigen may also be present in the blood; Rh+ (positive) or Rh- (negative)
What is the endocrine system?
Contains several glands that produce hormones that facilitate certain body functions
What do endocrine system tests test for?
Measures levels of hormones and/or substances that hormones regulate to confirm, clarify, or rule out medical conditions
What are the tests for diabetes?
Random blood sugar test (RBS), fasting blood sugar (FBS), postprandial blood sugar (PPS), oral glucose tolerance test, glycosylated hemoglobin test (HbA1c)
What is the random blood sugar test (RBS)?
A test for diabetes performed regardless of whether or not a patient has eaten
What is the normal range for RBS?
11.1 mmol/l (millimoles per liter) or 200 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter)
What do results exceeding RBS normal range mean?
Suggest diabetes
What is fasting blood sugar (FBS)?
Test for diabetes performed after a patient has been fasting for 8 hours
What are do the results for FBS mean?
Normal- 70-99 mg/dl or 3.9-5.5 mmol/ml
Prediabetes- 100-125 mg/dl or 5.6-6.5 mmol/l
Diabetes- more than 200 mg/dl or 11.1 mmol/l
What is the postprandial blood sugar (PPS)?
Test for diabetes performed 2 hours after a meal
What do PPS results mean?
Normal range- 140 mg/dl
Results exceeding normal suggest inefficient insulin levels or action
What is the oral glucose tolerance test?
A test for diabetes performed as a one step or two step when a patient is fasting; performed after patient has been fasting and has ingested a glucose drink
What do the results for the oral glucose tolerance test mean?
Normal range- 140 mg/dl
Prediabetes- 140-200 mg/dl or 7.8-11 mmol/l
Diabetes- more than 200 mg/dl or 11.1 mmol/l
What does the glycosylated hemoglobin test (HbA1c) test for?
Examines amount of glucose attached to hemoglobin within RBCs; monitors glucose control for diabetic patients
What do HbA1c results mean?
Normal range- less than 5.7%
Prediabetes- 5.7%-6.4%
Diabetes- greater than 6.5%
What are the tests for thyroid function?
Thyroxine (T4), T3 uptake (Triiodothyronine), Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
What is the normal range for T4?
4-12 ug/dl; 8 ug/dl is optimal
What does an increase in T4 mean? Decrease?
Increase- hepatitis, acute thyroiditis, hyperthyroidism
Decrease- chronic thyroiditis, malnutrition, cirrhosis, hypothyroidism, cretinism
What are the normal values for T3 uptake?
27%-47%; 37% is optimal
What does an increase in T3 mean? Decrease?
Increase- severe liver disease, pulmonary insufficiency, hyperthyroidism, metastatic malignancies (cancer)
Decrease- pregnancy, hypoestrogenism, hypothyroidism, cretinism
What are the normal values for TSH?
3.5-6.0 milliU/l (milli units per liter)
What does an increase in TSH mean? Decrease?
Increase- lowered T3 and T4
Decreased- raised T3 and T4
What is the test for parathyroid function?
Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH)
What is the parathyroid hormone?
Responsible for release of calcium from bones into the bloodstream, activation of vitamin D and for the reabsorption of calcium from the bloodstream by the kidneys and excretion phosphorus
What are the normal values for PTH?
10-65 ng/l
What does the increase in PTH mean? Decrease?
Increase- parathyroid tumors
Decrease- result from surgical removal of the glands which results in hypoparathyroidism
What are the tests for adrenal function?
Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), adrenal stimulation test, insulin tolerance test
What does the adrenal gland release?
Aldosterone (mineralocorticoid) and cortisol (glucocorticoid)
What are the normal values for ACTH?
Males- 7-50 pg/ml
Females- 5-27 pg/ml
What does a decrease in ACTH mean?
May be due to a pituitary deficit
What is the adrenal stimulation test?
A test for adrenal function performed by stimulating the adrenal gland; tests for adrenal insufficiency
What are the normal values for adrenal stimulation test?
Cortisol- 20-30 ug/dl
Aldosterone- 20 ng/dl
What does the insulin tolerance test test for?
Used to measure reserve levels of ACTH and growth hormone in patients
What are the normal values for insulin tolerance test?
Cortisol- 520 mmol/l
Growth hormone- 22 mmol/l
What does a decrease in insulin tolerance test mean?
Suggest hypopituitarism
