🌡NCLEX Lab Values Flashcards
BLood urea nitrogen (BUN)
8-25 mg/dL
(Kidney function)
LOW = liver failure, cirrhosis, over-hydration, nephrotic syndrome, starvation
HIGH = burns, low blood volume, dehydration, shock, HF, kidney disease, drug toxicity, post-renal obstruction
Serum Creatinine (Cr)
0.6-1.3 mg/dL
LOW = muscle mass
HIGH = hypothyroidism, renal failure, urinary tract obstruction
Glucose, fasting
70-110 mg/dL
Glucose, monitoring
60-110 mg/dL
Glucose, 2hr post prandial
<140 mg/dL
Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c)
7% or lower (good control of diabetes)
7% to 8% (fair control of diabetes)
Higher than 8 % (poor control of diabetes)
Red Blood Cell Count (RBC)
Male adult: 4.5 – 6.2 million/mm3
Female adult: 4.5 – 5.0 million/mm3
Hemoglobin (Hgb)
Male: 14-16.5 g/dL
Female: 12-15 g/dL
Hematocrit (Hct)
Male: 42 – 52%
Female: 35 – 47%
Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)
Male: 78 – 100 μm3
Female: 78 – 102 μm3
Serum iron
Male: 65 – 175 mcg/dL
Female: 50 – 170 mcg/dL
White Blood Cell (WBC) Count
4,500 to 11,000 cells/mm³
Neutrophils
55 – 70%
or
1,800 - 7,800 cells/mm³
IMMUNE DEFENSE
Lymphocytes
20 – 40%
or
1,000 - 4,800 cells/mm³
INFECTION/antibody production
Monocytes
2 – 8%
or
0.0 - 800 cells/mm³
INFLAMMATION and stress
Eosinophils
1 – 4%
or
0.0 - 450 cells/mm³
Parasitic infection, allergic rxn, paraneoplastic response
Basophils
0–2%
or
0.0 - 200 cells/mm³
Parasitic infection and allergic reaction
Platelet count (PLT)
150,000 - 400,000 cells/mm³
LOW (Thrombocytopenia) = hemorrhage, DIC, hypersplenism, hemolytic anemia, infection, leukaemia, lupus
HIGH (Thrombocytosis) = iron deficiency anemia, postsplenectomy syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis
Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT)
20 to 60 seconds, depending on the type of activator used.
LOW = Early stages of DIC, Extensive cancer
HIGH = Congenital clotting factor deficiencies, DIC, Hemophilia, Heparin, Hypofibrinogenemia von Willebrand’s disease, Leukemia, Liver cirrhosis, Vitamin K deficiency
Prothrombin time (PT)
11 – 13 seconds
LOW = too much Vitamin K
HIGH = Bile duct obstruction, DIC, hepatitis, Liver cirrhosis, massive blood transfusion, vitamin K deficiency
Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT)
25 – 35 seconds
International Normalized Ratio (INR)
> 1.5-2.0
LOW = blood too thick
HIGH = blood too thin, warfarin
Fibrinogen
203 – 377 mg/dL
Bleeding time
Duke method: 1 to 3 minutes
Ivy method: 3 to 6 minutes
D-Dimer
< 500 ng/mL
HIGHER = Active blood clot
DVT, PE, stroke, DIC
Potassium (K+)
3.5 – 5.0 mEq/L
Hypokalemia = Ascites, Burns, Cushing’s syndrome, Cystic fibrosis, Deficient dietary intake, Deficient IV intake, Diuretics, insulin,
Renal artery stenosis
Hyperkalemia = Acidosis, renal failure, aldosterone-inhibiting diuretics, crush injuries, dehydration, excessive dietary intake, Hemolysis, infection, hemolyzed blood transfusion.
Sodium (Na+)
135-145 mEq/L
Hyponatremia = AIDS, CHF, cirrhosis, nephrotic syndrome, excessive sweating, vomiting
Hypernatremia = dehydration, dietary intake, DM, IV
Chloride (Cl-)
95 – 105 mEq/L
Hypocloremia = Addison’s, diarrhea, metabolic alkalosis, resp acidosis, vomiting
Hypercloremia = cardiac decompression, met acidosis, resp alkalosis, corticosteroids, uremia
Calcium (Ca+)
Total calcium: 4.5 – 5.5 mEq/L (8.5 to 10.5 mg/dL)
Ionized calcium: 2.5 mEq/L (4.0 – 5.0 mg/dL) 56% of total calcium
Hypocalcemia = prancreatitis, low Vit D, low PTH, chronic kidney issues, low mobility
Hypercalcemia = hyperthyroidism, dec excretion, lithium, glucocorticoids, addisons
Phosphorus (P)
1.8 – 2.6 mEq/L (2.7 to 4.5 mg/dL)
LOW = alcoholism, diarrhea, hypercalcemia, refeeding syndrome, vomiting, Vit D deficiency
HIGH = cirrhosis, renal failure
Magnesium (Mg)
1.6 to 2.6 mg/dL
Hypomagnesium = neuro excitability, limites intake, alcohol, malabsorption, glycemic issues
Hypermagnesium = antacids, Addisons, Glomerular filtration insufficiency
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)
Male: 10 to 55 units/L
Female: 7 to 30 units/L
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) test is used to identify hepatocellular injury and inflammation of the liver.
HIGH = cirrhosis, cholestasis, hepatitis, hepatic ischemia, mononucleosis, MI, myositis, pancreatitis, shock, severe burns
Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)
Male: 10 – 40 units/L
Female: 9 – 25 units/L
Total bilirubin
0.3 – 1.0 mg/dL
Direct bilirubin (conjugated): 0.0 to 0.2 mg/dL Indirect bilirubin (unconjugated): 0.1 to 1 mg/dL; Critical level: > 12 mg/dL
Albumin
3.4 to 5 g/dL
Hypoalbuminemia = Acute liver failure, cirrhosis, increased capillary permeability, burns, malnutrition
Hyperalbuminemia = dehydration, severe diarrhea, severe vomiting
Ammonia
35 – 65 mcg/dL (adult)
Amylase
25 to 151 units/L
Lipase
10 to 140 units/L
Protein
6 to 8 g/dL
Cholesterol
Less than 200 mg/dL
High-density lipoprotein (HDL)
30 to 70 mg/dL
Low density lipoprotein (LDL)
Less than 130 mg/dL
Triglycerides
Less than 150 mg/dL
Creatine kinase (CK)
Male: 38 – 174 U/L
Female: 26 – 140 U/L
Myoglobin
5–70 ng/mL
Troponin:
Troponin: Less than 0.04 ng/mL; above 0.40 ng/mL may indicate MI
Troponin T: Greater than 0.1 to 0.2 ng/mL may indicate MI
Troponin I: Less than 0.6 ng/mL; >1.5 ng/mL indicates myocardial infarction
Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)
22 to 27 pg/mL
Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)
less than 100 pg/mL
Thyroid function test
Triiodothyronine (T₃): 80 to 230 ng/dL
Thyroxine (T₄): 5 to 12 mcg/dL
Thyroxine, free (FT₄): 0.8 to 2.4 ng/dL
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (thyrotropin): 0.2 to 5.4 microunits/mL
Urinalysis
Specific gravity: 1.016 to 1.022
pH: 4.5 to 7.8
Protein: Negative Ketones: Negative Bilirubin: Negative Glucose: >0.5 g/day Red blood cells: < 3 cells/HPF White blood cells: < or = 4 cells/HPF
Therapeutic Drug Levels
Acetaminophen (Tylenol): 10 to 20 mcg/mL
Carbamazepine (Tegretol): 5 to 12 mcg/mL
Digoxin (Lanoxin): 0.5 to 2 ng/mL
Gentamicin (Garamycin): 5 – 10 mcg/mL (peak); <2.0 mcg/mL (trough)
Lithium (Lithobid): 0.5 to 1.2 mEq/L
Magnesium sulfate: 4 to 7 mg/dL
Phenobarbital (Luminal): 10 to 30 mcg/mL
Phenytoin (Dilantin): 10 to 20 mcg/mL
Salicylate: 100 to 250 mcg/mL
Theophylline: 10 to 20 mcg/dL
Tobramycin (Tobrex): 5 – 10 mcg/mL (peak); 0.5 – 2.0 mcg/mL (trough)
Valproic acid (Depakene): 50 – 100 mcg/mL
Vancomycin (Vancocin): 20 – 40 mcg/mL (peak); 5 – 15 mcg/mL (trough)
Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2)
35 – 45 mmHg
Bicarbonate (HCO3)
22 – 26 mEq/L
