Lab Values

Question 1

serum potassium

Answer 1

3.5mEq/L to 5.0mEq/L

critical values <3 or >6.1mEq/L

Question 2

serum sodium

Answer 2

135mEq/L to 145mEq/L

critical value <120 or >160mEq/L

Question 3

Therapeutic range for INR levels (DVT, A-Fib, or Orthopedic Surgery)

Answer 3

2 to 3 for a patient taking warfarin (Coumadin)

0.8-1.2 for patients not taking warfarin

Question 4

serum calcium (total)

Answer 4

9.0-10.5mg/dL

critical values: <6 or >13mg/dL

Question 5

serum creatinine

Answer 5

18 to 40yrs Female: 0.5-1.0mg/dL
18 to 40yrs Male: 0.6-1.2mg/dL
41 to 60yrs Female: 0.5-1.1mg/dL
41 to 60yrs Male: 0.6-1.3mg/dL
61 yrs and older Female 0.5-1.2mg/dL
61yrs and older Male 0.7-1.3mg/dL

In general 0.5 to 1.2mg/dL for female and 0.6 to 1.3mg/dL for males

critical value: >4mg/dL (indicates serious impairment in renal functions)

Question 6

Hemoglobin A1c (Glycosylated Hemoglobin)

Answer 6

Nondiabetic adult/child 4% to 5.9%
Good diabetic control <7%
Fair diabetic control 8-9%
Poor diabetic control >9%

Overall, you want your diabetics to be less than 7% , the higher the number, the increase risk for micro & macro vascular issues. Remember; this test gives an average daily blood glucose level for a 2 to 3 month period

Question 7

Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)

Answer 7

10-20mg/dL or 3.6 to 7.1mmol/L (SI Units)

critical value: >100mg/dL (indicates serious impairment of renal function)

Question 8

troponin T

Answer 8

Normal range <0.1ng/mL

typically less than 0.04ng/mL will be negative for a heart attack 0.04 to 0.39, indicate a problem with heart and needs further testing, above a 0.4ng/dL indicates a probable heart attack, a troponin level will be elevated 2 to 3 hours after a heart attack and continue to be elevated for up to 2 weeks.

Question 9

white blood cell

Answer 9

5,000-10,000/mm³

critical values: <2,000 or >40,000/mm³

Question 10

lithium serum level

Answer 10

depends on resource
0.4-1.0mEq/L or 0.6-1.2mEq/dL or 0.5-1.5mEq/L

remember that toxicity can be seen in 1.5mEq/L.

Question 11

hemoglobin

Answer 11

Female: 12-16g/dL or 7.4-9.9mmol/L (SI Units)
Male: 14-18g/dL or 8.7-11.2mmol/L

Critical values <7g/dL or >21g/dL

Question 12

hematocrit

Answer 12

Female: 37%-47%
Male: 42%-52%

Critical values are <21% or >65%

Question 13

platelets

Answer 13

150,000 to 400,000mm³

critical value: <20,000 or > 1 million/mm³

Question 14

digoxin

Answer 14

0.08-2ng/mL

Toxic levels >2.4ng/mL

Question 15

magnesium

Answer 15

1.3-2.1mEq/L or 0.65-1.05mmol/L (SI units)

Question 16

glucose

Answer 16

60-100md/dL or 70-110mg/dL
results will vary depending on time of day, fasting or non-fasting, or being used to check daily blood sugars prior to meals or bedtime. A diabetic that has a blood sugar result over 150mg/dL maybe using a sliding scale to give additional units of insulin
Note: anyone who has a fasting blood sugar over 120mg/dL should have a hemoglobin A1c check to rule out being a diabetic

Question 17

phenytoin (therapeutic level)

Answer 17

10 to 20 mcg/mL