Exam #1

Question 1

what is cation?

Answer 1

a positively charged ion

Question 2

what is the normal range for the anion gap?

Answer 2

8-14 mEq/L

Question 3

what is the anion gap used to identify?

Answer 3

it is used to identify causes of metabolic acidosis

Question 4

what is the normal value for Na (sodium)

Answer 4

136-145 mmol/L

Question 5

what is a decreased value of Na (sodium) associated with?

Answer 5

excessive vomiting and diarrhea

Question 6

what does an increased value of Na (sodium) suggest?

Answer 6

dehydration

Question 7

what is the normal value of lactate?

Answer 7

0.5-2.2

Question 8

what is a high value of lactate associated with?

Answer 8

higher mortality (death) in patients with shock

Question 9

what is the normal value of chloride (Cl-)

Answer 9

98-107 mmol/L

Question 10

what does anion mean?

Answer 10

negatively charged ion

Question 11

what happens with high levels of chloride (Cl-)?

Answer 11

kidney failure, diabetes, called hyperchloremia

Question 12

what happens with low levels of chloride (Cl-) and what is it called?

Answer 12

prolonged vomiting or diarrhea, called hypochloremia

Question 13

what is the normal value for potassium (K+)?

Answer 13

3.5-5.1 mmol/L

Question 14

what happens with low levels of potassium (K+) and what is it called?

Answer 14

affect neuromuscular function and causes excess vomiting/diarrhea, called hypokalemia

Question 15

what happens with high levels of potassium (K+) and what is it called?

Answer 15

produce hyporeflexia and muscle weakness and causes kidney failure, severe alcoholism, and called hyperkalemia

Question 16

what is the normal value for serum carbon dioxide?

Answer 16

22-32 mmol/L

Question 17

what is the normal value for glucose?

Answer 17

70-139 mmol/L

Question 18

what happens with high levels of glucose and what is it called?

Answer 18

often caused by diabetes or sepsis, called hyperglycemia

Question 19

what happens with low levels of glucose and what is it called?

Answer 19

associated with digestive problems, too much insulin, or inadequate intake of carbs, called hypoglycemia

Question 20

what is the normal value of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)?

Answer 20

<100

Question 21

what is the normal value of white blood cells (WBC)?

Answer 21

4,000-11,000/mm3

Question 22

what does a low value of white blood cells (WBC) indicate?

Answer 22

overwhelming infection or immunocompromise (leukopenia)

Question 23

what does a high value of white blood cells (WBC) indicate?

Answer 23

sign of infection (leukocytes)

Question 24

what is a normal value of hemoglobin?

Answer 24

12.5-15.5 g/dL

Question 25

what is hematocrit?

Answer 25

the proportion of whole blood that is composed of RBCs

Question 26

what tests measure the ability for blood to clot?

Answer 26

prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), and partial thromboplastin time (PTT)

Question 27

what is the normal value of serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN)?

Answer 27

8-23 mg/dL

Question 28

what is the normal value of serum creatinine?

Answer 28

0.7-1.3 mg/dL

Question 29

what is the normal value of albumin?

Answer 29

3.4-4.8 g/dL

Question 30

what does a sweat chloride test?

Answer 30

tests for cystic fibrosis

Question 31

what does it mean when sweat chloride levels are > 60 mml/L?

Answer 31

this is a positive test result

Question 32

what are acceptable sites for an ABG?

Answer 32

radial artery or brachial artery

Question 33

what is the most desired site for an ABG and why?

Answer 33

radial artery, and why: near the surface of the skin, artery is not near large veins, and easy to palpate and stabilize

Question 34

what are some indications for an ABG?

Answer 34

1. evaluation of ventilation, oxygenation status, and oxygen carrying capacity, 2. monitoring of the severity & progression of a documented disease, 3. assessment of a patient's response to therapeutic interventions and/or diagnostic tests

Question 35

what are some contraindications for an ABG?

Answer 35

negative results of an Allen's test, should not be performed if: it is through a lesion, distal to a surgical shunt, and if there is evidence of an infection or peripheral vascular disease in the selected limb.

Question 36

what are some possible complications for an ABG?

Answer 36

hematoma, air or clotted emboli, hemorrhage, and trauma to the vessel.

Question 37

what is the pH electrode called?

Answer 37

sanz electrode

Question 38

what is the PCO2 electrode system called?

Answer 38

stowe-severinghaus electrode

Question 39

what is the PO2 electrode called?

Answer 39

clark electrode

Question 40

what are the three phases of anaylsis?

Answer 40

preanalytical, analytical, postanalytical

Question 41

what is the preanalytical phase?

Answer 41

before the test is performed

Question 42

what is the analyitcal phase?

Answer 42

actual testing of the specimen

Question 43

what is the postanayltical phase?

Answer 43

checking results for error and proximity to normal limits and reporting of results

Question 44

what is precision?

Answer 44

how close measure values are to each other

Question 45

what is accuracy?

Answer 45

how close a measure value is to the true value