Lab Values #2

• A measure of the concentration of solutes in urine
• Routine part of urinalysis

1.002 - 1.030

The higher the number, the more dehydrated you may be

Can be used to assess kidney's ability to concentrate or dilute urine

Urine sample and dipstick

• May indicate fluid overload or presence of diabetes insipidus
• Also can occur in patients renal abnormalities

• Can indicate dehydration or infection
• May occur in patients with:
• adrenal insufficiency
• hepatic disease
• congestive heart failure
• or in pts experiencing excessive water loss due to sweating, fever, vomiting, or diarrhea

• a protein molecule in RBC which enables tham to transport oxygen and carbon dioxide
• Used to screen for, evaluate, and monitor anemia

• Men: 14 - 18 g/dL
• Women: 12 - 16 g/dL

• Test or monitor anemia
• Also test or monitor for polycythemia vera, which is a slow-growing blood cancer in which bone marrow makes too many RBC, causing blood to be too thick

blood sample

• If it's not severe, usually no sx. 
• If it's severe, pt will feel drowsy, dizzy, or fatigued and will have pale skin, palpitations, and restless leg syndrome

Can happen if living at higher altitude, from smoking, or polycythemia vera.

blood that determines the percentage of RBC in the blood

• Men: 38 - 50%
• Women: 35 - 45%

Measures the proportion of RBC in the blood in order to diagnose certain diseases

three to one:

150 k - 450 k

• Monitor for formation of clots and risk for bleeding
• Done by blood draw

Thrombocytopenia, frequent bruising, and/or bleeding

• Thrombocytosis
• Blood clot formation in legs and arms, which can lead to an MI or stroke

• 45 - 70%
• Most abundant type of WBC

• Blood test
• Neutrophils defend against bacteria and fungi and produce relatively small inflammatory responses as first responders

• Called neutropenia ~ increased risk for infection
• Can be caused by chemotherapy or bone marrow transplant

• Can indicate immune system response, including acute infection, gout, trauma
• Diseases associated with higher levels include rheumatoid, thyroiditis, and myelocytic leukemia

20-40%

Type of WBC, includes natural killer cells (NK) and T cells & B cells

• Assess for infection
• Lymphocytes defend against viral infections
• Do NOT release histamine during allergic reaction

• Most common disorders include AIDS and undernutrition
• Increased risk for infection and developing leukemia and lymphoma

Normal after infection

• Male: 4.3 - 5.7  trillion
• Female: 3.9 - 5.0 trillion

Could be decrease in RBC production in bone marrow, trauma, chronic inflammatory disease,

Treat with PRBC

• could polycythemia vera
• prob with bone marrow

• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
• Rate at which RBC sediment (settle to bottom of tube) in a period of one hour
• Common hematology test, is non-specific measure of inflammation

• Male: 15 mm/hr
• Female: 22 mm/hr

Can indicate acute or chronic inflammation, necrosis (tissue death), or infection

Blood test, in lavender tube

• No actual sx
• Measures how heavy RBC is and how much plasma from inflammation is weighing it down
• Could indicate sickle cell anemia, polycythemia

• Could mean:
• chronic renal failure
• malignant disease
• bacterial infection
• necrotic tissue
• severe anemia

• Partial thromboplastin time
• Blood test that measures the time it takes for blood to clot
• Can be used to check for bleeding problems

25 -35 seconds

• Monitors effectiveness of Heparin
• Will also be drawn if there is any unexplained bleeding to dx any clotting disorders

Blood sample, duh

Usually due to DIC or some form of severe cancer

hemophilia or some other clotting disease

• INR is International Normalized Ratio 
• Calculation based on results of PT (prothrombin time) and used to monitor effectiveness of anticoagulant WARFARIN

Recall this drug effect function of coagulation cascade and helps inhibit formation of blood clots.

People on warfarin should have INR of 2.0 - 3.0 for basic blood thinning

• Phenytoin
• Is an anti-epileptic drug (anticonvulsant)

10 - 20 mcg/mL

• Toxic >30
• Bwtn 40 and 50: Lethargy and confusion
• Higher than 50: coma and seizures

Blood/serum test

tests for levels of seizure management

• risk of seizure
• risk for nystagmus (vision condition where eyes make repetitive, uncontrolled movements)

• Ataxia
• slurred speech
• N/V

• No specific antidote 
• treatment is supportive

• Bronchodilator
• Oral medication used to treat asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and other lung diseases

Dosage depends on patient

• Therapeutic level: 10 - 15 mcg/mL
• Toxic: >20 mcg/mL

• No therapeutic effect
• SOB, lung constriction and difficulty breathing
• Low O2

• Seizures, hypotension, and significant dysrhythmias are usually observed when serum levels approach 80 mcg/mL
• Seizures are more common with acute overdose than with chronic overdose

• Administer activated charcoal, which enhances elimination 
• Very effective, but important to aggressively control N/V in order for charcoal to work