Hematocrit

(Determines the percent of RBC's in the plasma)

↑ = dehydration, high altitudes, polycythemia

↓ = anemia, hemorrhage, overhydration

Male - 39% - 50%

Female - 35% - 47%

Hemoglobin

(A protein in RBC's that carries oxygen)

↑ = COPD, high altitudes, polycythemia

↓ = anemia, hemorrhage

Male - 13.2 - 17.3 g/dL

Female - 11.7 - 15.5 g/dL

Platelet count

(Fragments of cytoplasm that function in blood coagulation)

↑ =acute infections, chronic granulocytic leukemia, chronic pancreatitis, cirrhosis, collagen disorders, polycythemia, postsplenectomy

↓ = acute leukemia, DIC, thrombocytopenic purpura

150,000 - 400,000/μl (microlitre)

WBC/Leukocyte Count

(Cells of the immune system)

↑ = inflammatory and infectious processes, leukemia

↓ = aplastic anemia, side effects of chemotherapy and irradiation

4,000 - 11,000/μl (microlitre)

Cholesterol

(Is an essential structural component of cell membranes & is a  component for the manufacture of bile acids, steroid hormones & vit. D. It is formed predominantly in the liver)

↑ = biliary obstruction, hypothyroidism, idiopathic hypercholesterolemia, renal disease, uncontrolled diabetes

↓ = extensive liver disease, hyperthyroidism, malnutrition, corticosteroid therapy

<200mg/dL

Creatinine

(Helps to supply energy to all cells in the body, primarily muscle. It is produced primarily in the kidney & liver)

↑ = severe renal disease

0.6-1.3 mg/dL

Glucose (fasting)

↑ = acute stress, Cushing disease, diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, pancreatic insufficiency

↓ = Addison's disease, hepatic disease, hypothyroidism, insulin overdosage, pancreatic tumor, pituitary hypofunction

70-99 mg/dL

Potassium

↑ = Addison's disease, diabetic ketosis, massive tissue destruction, renal failure

↓ = Cushing syndrome, diarrhea (severe), diuretic therapy, GI fistula, pyloric obstruction, starvation, vomiting

3.5-5.0 mEq/L

(Foods - bananas, dried fruit, cantaloupe, beans & milk)

Sodium

↑ = dehydration, impaired renal function, primary aldosteronism, corticosteroid therapy

↓ = Addison's disease, diabetic ketoacidosis, diuretic therapy, excessive loss from GI tract, excessive perspiration, water intoxiation

135-145 mEq/L

Urea nitrogen (BUN)

(measures the end product of protein metabolism, urea, to evaluate renal function)

↑ = increase in protein catabolism (fever, stress), renal disease, UTI

↓ = malnutrition, severe liver damage

6-20 mg/dL

Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT)

↑ = deficiency in factors I, II, V, VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII; hemophilia, liver disease, heparin therapy

25-35 seconds

Desired therapeutic level for heparin = 46-70 seconds. 

Antidote for heparin = protamine sulfate

Bicarbonate

↑ = compensated respiratory acidosis, metabolic alkalosis

↓ = compensated respiratory alkalosis, metabolic acidosis

22-26 mEq/L

Prothrombin time (PT)

(a protein produced by the liver for clotting of blood)

↑ = warfarin therapy; deficiency of factors I, II, V, VII, and X; vitamin K deficiency, liver disease

11-16 seconds

Desired therapeutic level with Coumadine (warfarin) is 2-3 times higher

Fibrin split (degradation) products

↑ = acute DIC, massive hemorrhage, primary fibrinolysis

<10 mcg/mL

Magnesium

↑ = Addison's disease, hypothyroidism, renal failure

↓ = chronic alcoholism, severe malabsorption, neuromuscular &CNS hyperirritability, cardiac dysrhythmias

1.5-2.5 mEq/L

Antidote for hypermagnesia = IV calcium chloride or calcium gluconate

Lipase

(Enzymes that perform essential roles in the digestion, transport and processing of dietary lipids)

↑ = acute panreatitis, hepatic disorders, perforated peptic ulcer

31-186 U/L

Phosphate (phosphorus)

(Is essential to the function of muscle, RBC's & the NS)

↑ = healing fractures, hypoparathyroidism, renal disease, vitamin D intoxication

↓ = diabetes mellitus, hyperparathyroidism, vitamin D deficiency

2.4-4.4 mg/dL

D-Dimer

(D-dimer is a fibrin degradation product present in the blood after a  blood clot is degraded by fibrinolysis. It can help to diagnose thrombosis)

↑ = DIC, myocardial infarction, deep vein thrombosis, unstable angina

<250 ng/mL

Erythrocyte (RBC) count

↑ = dehydration, high altitudes, polycythemia vera

↓ = amemia, leukemia, post hemorrhage

Male - 4.3-5.7 x 10⁶μL

(4,300,000 - 5,700,000 )

Female - 3.8-5.1 x 10⁶μL

(3,800,000 - 5,100,000)

Creatinine clearance (24 hr urine analysis)

(is a waste product of protein breakdown & approximates the GFR)

↓ = renal disease

59 - 137 mL/min

Serum Albumin

(The most abundant plasma protein & is essential for maintaining the osmotic pressure needed for proper distribution of body fluids)

↑ = dehydration

↓ = chronic liver disease, malabsoption, manutrition, nephrotic syndrome

3.5 - 5 g/dL

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR)

(Describes the flow rate of filtered fluid through the kidney)

↓ = renal failure

120 - 125 mL/min

Calcium

(movement of the calcium ion Ca²⁺ into and out of the cytoplasm functions as a signal for many cellular processes. Itis a major material used in mineralization of bones etc)

↑ = acute osteoporosis, hyperparathyroidism, viatamin D intoxication, multiple myeloma

↓ = acute pancreatitis, hypoparathyroidism, liver disease, malabsorption syndrome, renal failure, vitamin D deficiency

8.6 - 10.2 mg/dL

Urine pH

↑ = UTI, urine allowed to stand at room temp.

↓ = respiratory or metabolic acidosis

4 - 8

PaCO₂

↑ = Metabolic alkalosis

↓ =Metabolic acidosis

32 - 48 mm Hg

PaO₂

↑ = administration of high concentration of oxygen

↓ = chronic lung disease, decreased cardiac output

80 - 100 mm Hg

Uric acid

(Uric acid is a product of the breakdown of  purine nucleotides)

↑ = gout, gross tissue destruction, high protein weight reduction diet, leukemia, renal failure

↓ = administration of uricosuric drugs

250 - 750 mg/day

(Foods high in purines - organ meats, herring, anchovies and mackerel, tuna, shrimp, lobster and scallops & red meat)

Specific gravity of urine

↑ = albuminuria, dehydration, glycosuria

↓ = diabetes insipidus

1.003 - 1.030

International Normalizing Ratio (INR)

(Measures coagulation)

0.8 - 1.2

Therapeutic level with Coumadine (warfarin) = 2-3 

Antidote to Coumadin = vitamin K

Ammonia

(converted by the liver to urea which is excreted by the kidneys)

↑ = severe liver disease

15-45 mcg N/dL

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

(  It is a non-specific measure of inflammation)

Moderate ↑ = acute hepatitis, myocardial infartion, rheumatoid arthritis

Marked ↑ = acute & severe bacterial infections, malignancies, pelvic inflammatory disease

↓ = malaria, severe liver disease, sickle cell anemia

< 30mm/hr

Osmolality

(evaluates fluid balance by measuring the solute concentration of the blood inc. sodium ions, glucose and BUN)

↑ = chronic renal disease, diabetes mellitus, fluid volume deficit

↓ = Addison's disease, diuretic therapy, fluid volume excess

275- 295 mOsm/kg

Amylase

↑ = acute and chronic pancreatitis, mumps (salivary gland disease), perforated ulcers

↓ = acute alcoholism, cirrohis of liver, extensive destruction of pancreas

30-122 U/L

Colony count for UTI

100,000 bacterial units/mL of urine

b-Type natriuretic peptide (BNP)

< 100 mcg/L= normal

100 - 500 mcg/L= probable heart failure

> 500 mcg/L= highly probable heart failure

Triglycerides

(In the body, triglycerides are a mechanism for storing unused calories)

< 150 mg/dL

High density lipids (HDL)

(Healthy)

Males - > 40 mg/dL

Females - > 50 mg/dL

Low density lipids (LDL)

(Lousy)

< 100 mg/dL

Creatine Kinase (CK)

(CK is an enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of a phosphate group from ATP to creatine leading to the  storeage of energy in muscle and brain tissue)

Males - 20-200 U/L

Females - 20-180 U/L

CK levels peak 12-24 hrs after an MI and returns to normal by 48 hrs,

CK-MB

A cardiospecific isozyme that is released in the presence of myocardial tissue injury

Rises 6 hours post MI, peaks at 18 hours and returns to normal 24-36 hours after MI

Norm = 0-3%

Concentrations > than 4-6% are highly indicative of MI

Troponin T

Rises 2-6 hours post MI, peaks at 10-24hours and returns to normal 10-14 days after MI

Neg = < 0.5 ng/mL

Suspicious of MI = 0.5 - 2.3 ng/mL

positive for MI = > 2.3 ng/mL

Troponin I

Rises 2-4 hours post MI, peaks at ?? hours and returns to normal 7-10 days after MI