Lab Values Flashcards
Albumin/Pre-albumin
- Albumin: 3.5 to 5.0
- Albumin detects liver and kidney function
- low albumin can be the result of malnutrition and can impair wound healing
- high albumin can be the result of dehydration or severe diarrhea
- Pre-albumin: 16 to 30
- longer half life and is preferred to use to diagnosis chronic liver or kidney damage (high) or malnutrition (low)
Electrolytes
- Sodium: 135 to 145
- hyponatremia: confusion, thirst, weakness
- hypernatremia: confusion, nausea, dizziness, and abdominal cramp
- Potassium: 3.5 to 5.0
- hypokalemia: irregular heart rate, muscle weakness, leg cramps, anorexia
-hyperkalemia: vomiting, diarrhea, cardiac dysrhythmias, muscle weakness - Calcium: 9.0 to 10.5
-Hypocalcemia: paresthesia of fingers and lips, positive Chvostek’s sign (tap on facial nerve and there is facial twitching), positive Trousseau’s sign (hand/finger spasms with sustained blood pressure cuff inflation), hyperactive deep tendon reflexes, decreased HR and BP, hyperactive bowel sounds, diarrhea, cramping, seizure precautions necessary
-Hypercalcemia: nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness or twitches, fatigue, bone pain - Chloride: 95 to 105
-hypochloremia: lack of emotion, anorexia, muscle cramps
-hyperchloremia: vomiting - Phosphorus: 2.5 to 4.5
-hypophosphatemia: rare
-hyperphosphatemia: numbness and tingling around mouth and extremeties, tetany - Magnesium: 1.5 to 2.0
-Hypomagnesemia: positive Chvostek’s and Trousseau’s signs, hypoactive bowel sounds, constipation, abdominal distention, paralytic ileus
-Hypermagnesemia: weakness, nausea, dizziness, and confusion
Similar:
- Magnesium, sodium, potassium, and calcium usually rise and fall together
-sodium and phosphorus usually rise and fall together
Vital Signs
- Temperature:
- Oral: 36.5 to 37.5 C (97.6 to 99.6 F)
- Rectal: 37 to 38 C (98.6 to 100.4 F)
- Axilla 36 to 37 C (96.6 to 98.6 F)
- Blood Pressure:
- Normal: <120/<80
- Elevated: 120s/<80
-Stage 1: 130s/80s
-Stage 2: >140/>90
-Crisis: >180/>120 - Pulse:
- 60 to 100 BPM
- Strength: 0 absent, +1 weak, +2/3 normal, +4 bounding (fluid overload, anxiety)
-Respirations:
- 12 to 20 BPM
-SPO2:
- 92% to 100%
Glucose:
-Fasting: 70 to 120
-Nonfasting: <140
-HbA1c:
-<5.7% is normal
-5.7% to 6.4% is prediabetic
->6.5% is diabetic
Fluid Volume Balance
Values:
- Hematocrit: 42 to 52% (men), 37 to 47% (women)
- Hemoglobin: 14 to 18 (men), 12 to 16 (women)
- BUN: 10 to 20 mg/dL
- Sodium: 135 to 145
- Serum Osmolarity: 275 to 295 (diluted blood vs concentrated blood)
- Urine Specific Gravity: 1.005 to 1.030 (low = overhydrated, high = dehydrated)
Fluid Volume Deficit:
- Hematocrit: increased
- BUN: increased
- Sodium: increased
- Serum osmolarity: increased
Fluid Volume Overload:
- hematocrit and hemoglobin: decreased
- serum osmolarity and urine osmolarity: decreased
- BUN: decreased
- chest Xray will show pulmonary congestion (white out)
WBCs and Platelets
- WBC: 5,000 to 10,000
- Platelets: 150,000 to 400,000
ABGs
Values:
- pH: 7.35 to 7.45
- PCO2: 35 to 45
-HCO3: 21 to 26
-PO2: 80 to 100
Respiratory (opposite arrows):
- Acidosis = low pH + high PCO2
- Alkalosis = high pH + low PCO2
Metabolic (same arrows):
- Acidosis = low pH, low HCO3
- Alkalosis = high pH, high HCO3
Clotting times
PT (prothrombin time):
- tests for how long it takes for a person’s blood to generate fibrin and form a clot
- extrinsic clotting abilities of factors I, II, V, Vll, X)
-prolonged PT could mean vitamin K deficiency or liver disease
-Normal range: 11 - 12.5 seconds
aPTT (activated partial thromboplastin time):
- measures the time is takes for blood to clot
- intrinsic clotting abilities of VIII, IX, XI, and XII)
- aPTT = monitors heparin therapy
- Normal Range: 30 to 40 seconds (Therapeutic aPTT is 1.5 to 2 times normal value - while on heparin)
INR:
- is calculated from PT (INR = PT of patient / Average PT of normal person their age/sex)
- INR = monitors warfarin therapy
- Normal Range: 0.7 to 1.8 (therapeutic INR is 2 to 3 - while on warfarin)
Medications
Digoxin:
- 0.5 to 2.0 ng/mL
- Toxicity: anorexia, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, confusion, halo vision
Lithium:
- 0.8 to 1.4 mg/dL
- Toxicity: nausea, vomiting, lethargy, hand tremors, fatigue, vision changes
Phenytoin (Dilantin):
- 10 to 20 mcg/mL
- Toxicity: ataxia (lack of coordination), slurred speech, vomiting, lethargy, coma, seizures (even though it treats seizures)
Theophylline:
- 10 to 20 mcg/mL
- Toxicity: Tachycardia, tachypnea, respiratory alkalosis, AFib, irritability, hypokalemia, hyperglycemia
Cholesterol
- Cholesterol: < 200 mg/dL
- Triglycerides: 40 - 160 (males), 35 - 135 (females)
- HDL: >45 (male), >55 (females)
- LDL: <130