Lab Tests

Question 0

What is the difference between a Comprehensive Medical Panel and a Basic Metabolic Panel?

Answer 0

The comprehensive medical panel has all the tests as the basic metabolic panel plus Albumin, Total Protein, and the liver tests of liver function

Question 1

What eight values does a Basic Metabolic Panel test?

Answer 1

Glucose, Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Carbon Dioxide, Calcium, Creatinine, and BUN

Question 2

What are the tests for liver function?

Answer 2

ALP, ALT, AST, and Bilirubin

Question 3

Volume of packed RBCs in 100 mL of blood

Answer 3

Hematocrit

Question 4

In what diseases is hematocrit lowered?

Answer 4

Acute blood loss, anemia, cancers, cirrhosis, malnutrition, vitamin B and C deficiencies, leukemia, and renal failure

Question 5

In what conditions is hematocrit increased?

Answer 5

Dehydration, hypovolemia, and polycythemia vera

Question 6

Which drug can cause a low hematocrit?

Answer 6

Penicillin

Question 7

What is the critical value of hematocrit?

Answer 7

<15%

Question 8

What can a critically low hematocrit lead to?

Answer 8

Heart Failure

Question 9

A protein substance in RBCs that is composed of an iron and globin?

Answer 9

Hemoglobin

Question 10

What conditions can lead to decreased hemoglobin levels?

Answer 10

Anemia, cancers, kidney disease, and excess IV fluid

Question 11

What conditions cause increased hemoglobin levels?

Answer 11

Dehydration, polycythemia, high altitudes, and COPD

Question 12

Low hemoglobin levels put the patient at risk for what complications?

Answer 12

Angina, heart attack, and heart failure

Question 13

Too high hemoglobin levels can lead to what complications?

Answer 13

Stroke and organ infaction

Question 14

What are the critical values of hemoglobin?

Answer 14

20

Question 15

What are signs and symptoms of anemia?

Answer 15

Fatigue, pallor, and tachycardia

Question 16

What is the appropriate BUN range?

Answer 16

10-20 mg/dL

Question 17

What is a BUN level a measure of?

Answer 17

Liver function, and indirectly, kidney function

Question 18

What conditions result in abnormally low BUN levels?

Answer 18

Liver failure, over hydration, negative nitrogen balance, nephrotic syndrome and a low protein diet

Question 19

What causes a negative nitrogen balance?

Answer 19

Malnutrition and malabsorption

Question 20

What is the medical term for increased BUN levels?

Answer 20

Azotemia

Question 21

What are the prerenal causes of azotemia?

Answer 21

Reduced blood volume, reduced renal blood flow, GI bleeding, excessive protein feeding, excess protein catabolism, and sepsis

Question 22

What conditions might cause reduced blood flow to the kidneys?

Answer 22

CHF and MI

Question 23

What are the renal causes of azotemia?

Answer 23

Renal disease, renal failure, and nephrotoxic drugs

Question 24

What are the postrenal causes of azotemia?

Answer 24

Urethral obstruction and bladder obstruction

Question 25

What is creatinine a byproduct of?

Answer 25

Muscle catabolism

Question 26

What are the normal ranges of Creatinine in males and females?

Answer 26

0.6-1.2 in males, 0.5-1.1 in females

Question 27

What do high creatinine levels indicate?

Answer 27

Acute and chronic renal failure, reduced renal blood flow, cancers, lupus, and rhabdomyolysis

Question 28

What do decreased creatinine levels indicate?

Answer 28

Muscle atrophy and reduced muscle mass

Question 29

What can cause a transient elevation in creatinine levels?

Answer 29

Diets high in meat

Question 30

What is bilirubin made from?

Answer 30

The heme of old or damaged RBCs

Question 31

At what serum level of bililrubin would the patient be jaundice?

Answer 31

2.5 mg/dL

Question 32

What would cause a rise in indirect bilirubin levels?

Answer 32

Hemolysis and hepatocellular injury

Question 33

What would cause a rise in direct bilirubin levels?

Answer 33

Obstruction and cancers

Question 34

What would cause a rise in total bilirubin levels?

Answer 34

Biliary obstruction

Question 35

What is the critical level of bilirubin in adults?

Answer 35

>12 mg/dL

Question 36

What is the critical level of bilirubin in newborns?

Answer 36

>15 mg/dL

Question 37

Newborn jaundice is generally caused by what type of bilirubin?

Answer 37

Indirect

Question 38

How can the nurse prevent increased bilirubin levels?

Answer 38

Avoid hemolysis of blood products and lab specimen and protect samples from bright lights

Question 39

What does an alkaline phosphate test monitor?

Answer 39

Diseases of the liver and bone

Question 40

What would cause an increase in alkaline phosphates?

Answer 40

Biliary obstruction and cholestatic hepatitis

Question 41

What does a serum aspartate aminotransferase test (AST) monitor?

Answer 41

Enzymes found in the heart and liver muscle

Question 42

What does a serum alanine aminotransferase test (ALT) monitor?

Answer 42

Enzymes found in the liver

Question 43

Of the liver enzyme function tests, which is the most specific measurement of the liver enzymes for hepatocellular disease?

Answer 43

Alanine Aminotransferase

Question 44

When a hepatocellular injury occurs, what happens to the levels of Aspartate Aminotransferase and Alaninie Aminotransferase?

Answer 44

They rise

Question 45

What tests are done to measure coagulation time?

Answer 45

PT, aPTT, PTT, INR

Question 46

What is the normal Prothrombin Time?

Answer 46

11-12.5 seconds

Question 47

What conditions does a decrease in prothrombin time indicate?

Answer 47

Thrombophlebitis and pulmonary embolus

Question 48

What does an increased prothrombin time indicate?

Answer 48

Anticoagulation therapy, liver disease, coagulation defect, and malasorption

Question 49

Which anticoagulation drugs cause a change in Prothrombin time?

Answer 49

Aspirin and Coumadin

Question 50

What is the normal INR range?

Answer 50

0.7-1.8

Question 51

What is a therapeutic INR range?

Answer 51

2.0-3.5

Question 52

Why is INR and PT used?

Answer 52

To provide a better interpretation of the results

Question 53

What can increase coagulation times and counteract coagulation therapy?

Answer 53

Vitamin K

Question 54

What should the nurse assess on a patient with prolonged prothrombin times?

Answer 54

Bleeding tendencies like hematuria, bruising, petechiae, and back pain

Question 55

What is the normal aPTT range?

Answer 55

21-40 seconds

Question 56

What is the critical value of an aPTT?

Answer 56

70 seconds

Question 57

When is an aPTT used?

Answer 57

When the patient is on heparin

Question 58

What is the normal PTT range?

Answer 58

60-70 seconds

Question 59

What is a critical PTT value?

Answer 59

100 seconds

Question 60

What does PTT evaluate?

Answer 60

Intrinsic system of clotting

Question 61

What does a PT evaluate?

Answer 61

Extrinsic clotting system

Question 62

What would cause a decrease in an aPTT/PTT?

Answer 62

Ovarian, pancreatic, and colon cancer

Question 63

What would cause an increase in an aPTT/PTT?

Answer 63

Cirrhosis, vitamin K deficiency, anticoagulants

Question 64

When should the aPTT be completed?

Answer 64

30-60 minutes before the next scheduled heparin dose

Question 65

How would a nurse assess a patient on anticoagulants for bleeding?

Answer 65

Look at the urine, skin, gums, and stool

Question 66

How can heparin be reversed?

Answer 66

Protamine sulfate

Question 67

What is the total protein value a combination of?

Answer 67

Prealbumin, albumin, and globulins

Question 68

Protein test indicating nutritional status and liver function

Answer 68

Preablumin

Question 69

Why is prealbumin a good indicator of nutritional status?

Answer 69

Because it has a short half-life

Question 70

In which patients is a prealbumin level especially important in?

Answer 70

Those receiving TPN

Question 71

Proteins formed in the liver that maintain colloidal osmotic pressure

Answer 71

Albumin

Question 72

What does albumin transport?

Answer 72

Drugs, hormones, and enzymes

Question 73

Building blocks of antibodies, glycoproteins, lipid proteins, and clotting factors

Answer 73

Globulins

Question 74

What are the most common critical values called in to the nurse?

Answer 74

Potassium, Glucose, WBCs, Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, Platelets, Calcium, and Troponin

Question 75

What is a normal fasting glucose range?

Answer 75

70-100 mg/dL

Question 76

What is a normal WBC count?

Answer 76

5000-10000/mcL

Question 77

What is a normal platelet count?

Answer 77

150,000-400,000/mcL

Question 78

What is the normal range of Hemoglobin in males and females?

Answer 78

14-18 g/dL in males and 12-16 g/dL in females

Question 79

What is the normal Hematocrit range in males and females?

Answer 79

42%-52% in males and 37%-47% in females

Question 80

What does a hematocrit level of <24% indicate?

Answer 80

The need for a transfusion