2025 Lab Values Cheat Sheet:
Questions & Answers
Normal Ranges & Clinical Implications
Hematology
1. Q: What is the normal range for hemoglobin in adult males? A: 14-18 g/dL (140-180 g/L)
2. Q: What is the normal range for hemoglobin in adult females? A: 12-16 g/dL (120-160 g/L)
3. Q: What does a low hemoglobin level indicate? A: Anemia, which can be due to blood loss,
decreased production, or increased destruction of red blood cells.
4. Q: What is the normal hematocrit range for adult males? A: 42-52% (0.42-0.52)
5. Q: What is the normal hematocrit range for adult females? A: 37-47% (0.37-0.47)
6. Q: What does an elevated hematocrit suggest? A: Dehydration, polycythemia, or living at high
altitude.
7. Q: What is the normal white blood cell (WBC) count? A: 4,500-11,000 cells/μL (4.5-11.0 × 10⁹/L)
8. Q: What does leukocytosis indicate? A: Infection, inflammation, leukemia, or stress response.
9. Q: What does leukopenia suggest? A: Viral infections, bone marrow disorders, chemotherapy
effects, or autoimmune conditions.
10. Q: What is the normal platelet count range? A: 150,000-450,000 cells/μL (150-450 × 10⁹/L)
11. Q: What does thrombocytopenia indicate? A: Risk of bleeding due to decreased platelet
production, increased destruction, or sequestration.
12. Q: What is the normal range for mean corpuscular volume (MCV)? A: 80-100 fL
13. Q: What does a low MCV indicate? A: Microcytic anemia, commonly due to iron deficiency or
thalassemia.
14. Q: What does a high MCV suggest? A: Macrocytic anemia, often due to vitamin B12 or folate
deficiency.
15. Q: What is the normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) for males under 50? A: Less than
15 mm/hr
Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP)
16. Q: What is the normal range for serum sodium? A: 136-145 mEq/L (136-145 mmol/L)
, 17. Q: What does hyponatremia indicate? A: Fluid overload, SIADH, heart failure, or excessive
water intake.
18. Q: What does hypernatremia suggest? A: Dehydration, diabetes insipidus, or excessive sodium
intake.
19. Q: What is the normal range for serum potassium? A: 3.5-5.0 mEq/L (3.5-5.0 mmol/L)
20. Q: What are the dangers of hypokalemia? A: Cardiac arrhythmias, muscle weakness, and
paralysis.
21. Q: What are the risks of hyperkalemia? A: Life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac
arrest.
22. Q: What is the normal range for serum chloride? A: 98-107 mEq/L (98-107 mmol/L)
23. Q: What is the normal range for blood urea nitrogen (BUN)? A: 7-20 mg/dL (2.5-7.1 mmol/L)
24. Q: What does an elevated BUN indicate? A: Kidney dysfunction, dehydration, or high protein
intake.
25. Q: What is the normal range for serum creatinine in adult males? A: 0.7-1.3 mg/dL (62-115
μmol/L)
26. Q: What is the normal range for serum creatinine in adult females? A: 0.6-1.1 mg/dL (53-97
μmol/L)
27. Q: What does an elevated creatinine level suggest? A: Kidney dysfunction or muscle damage.
28. Q: What is the normal range for serum glucose (fasting)? A: 70-100 mg/dL (3.9-5.6 mmol/L)
29. Q: What glucose level indicates diabetes? A: Fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL (≥7.0 mmol/L) on two
occasions.
30. Q: What is the normal range for serum bicarbonate (CO2)? A: 22-28 mEq/L (22-28 mmol/L)
Liver Function Tests
31. Q: What is the normal range for alanine aminotransferase (ALT)? A: 7-56 U/L (males), 7-40
U/L (females)
32. Q: What does an elevated ALT indicate? A: Liver cell damage, commonly from hepatitis,
medications, or alcohol.
33. Q: What is the normal range for aspartate aminotransferase (AST)? A: 10-40 U/L
34. Q: What is the AST/ALT ratio in alcoholic liver disease? A: Typically >2:1, suggesting alcohol-
related liver damage.
35. Q: What is the normal range for alkaline phosphatase (ALP)? A: 44-147 U/L (adults)
36. Q: What does an elevated ALP suggest? A: Cholestasis, bone disease, or liver obstruction.
37. Q: What is the normal range for total bilirubin? A: 0.3-1.2 mg/dL (5-21 μmol/L)
Questions & Answers
Normal Ranges & Clinical Implications
Hematology
1. Q: What is the normal range for hemoglobin in adult males? A: 14-18 g/dL (140-180 g/L)
2. Q: What is the normal range for hemoglobin in adult females? A: 12-16 g/dL (120-160 g/L)
3. Q: What does a low hemoglobin level indicate? A: Anemia, which can be due to blood loss,
decreased production, or increased destruction of red blood cells.
4. Q: What is the normal hematocrit range for adult males? A: 42-52% (0.42-0.52)
5. Q: What is the normal hematocrit range for adult females? A: 37-47% (0.37-0.47)
6. Q: What does an elevated hematocrit suggest? A: Dehydration, polycythemia, or living at high
altitude.
7. Q: What is the normal white blood cell (WBC) count? A: 4,500-11,000 cells/μL (4.5-11.0 × 10⁹/L)
8. Q: What does leukocytosis indicate? A: Infection, inflammation, leukemia, or stress response.
9. Q: What does leukopenia suggest? A: Viral infections, bone marrow disorders, chemotherapy
effects, or autoimmune conditions.
10. Q: What is the normal platelet count range? A: 150,000-450,000 cells/μL (150-450 × 10⁹/L)
11. Q: What does thrombocytopenia indicate? A: Risk of bleeding due to decreased platelet
production, increased destruction, or sequestration.
12. Q: What is the normal range for mean corpuscular volume (MCV)? A: 80-100 fL
13. Q: What does a low MCV indicate? A: Microcytic anemia, commonly due to iron deficiency or
thalassemia.
14. Q: What does a high MCV suggest? A: Macrocytic anemia, often due to vitamin B12 or folate
deficiency.
15. Q: What is the normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) for males under 50? A: Less than
15 mm/hr
Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP)
16. Q: What is the normal range for serum sodium? A: 136-145 mEq/L (136-145 mmol/L)
, 17. Q: What does hyponatremia indicate? A: Fluid overload, SIADH, heart failure, or excessive
water intake.
18. Q: What does hypernatremia suggest? A: Dehydration, diabetes insipidus, or excessive sodium
intake.
19. Q: What is the normal range for serum potassium? A: 3.5-5.0 mEq/L (3.5-5.0 mmol/L)
20. Q: What are the dangers of hypokalemia? A: Cardiac arrhythmias, muscle weakness, and
paralysis.
21. Q: What are the risks of hyperkalemia? A: Life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac
arrest.
22. Q: What is the normal range for serum chloride? A: 98-107 mEq/L (98-107 mmol/L)
23. Q: What is the normal range for blood urea nitrogen (BUN)? A: 7-20 mg/dL (2.5-7.1 mmol/L)
24. Q: What does an elevated BUN indicate? A: Kidney dysfunction, dehydration, or high protein
intake.
25. Q: What is the normal range for serum creatinine in adult males? A: 0.7-1.3 mg/dL (62-115
μmol/L)
26. Q: What is the normal range for serum creatinine in adult females? A: 0.6-1.1 mg/dL (53-97
μmol/L)
27. Q: What does an elevated creatinine level suggest? A: Kidney dysfunction or muscle damage.
28. Q: What is the normal range for serum glucose (fasting)? A: 70-100 mg/dL (3.9-5.6 mmol/L)
29. Q: What glucose level indicates diabetes? A: Fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL (≥7.0 mmol/L) on two
occasions.
30. Q: What is the normal range for serum bicarbonate (CO2)? A: 22-28 mEq/L (22-28 mmol/L)
Liver Function Tests
31. Q: What is the normal range for alanine aminotransferase (ALT)? A: 7-56 U/L (males), 7-40
U/L (females)
32. Q: What does an elevated ALT indicate? A: Liver cell damage, commonly from hepatitis,
medications, or alcohol.
33. Q: What is the normal range for aspartate aminotransferase (AST)? A: 10-40 U/L
34. Q: What is the AST/ALT ratio in alcoholic liver disease? A: Typically >2:1, suggesting alcohol-
related liver damage.
35. Q: What is the normal range for alkaline phosphatase (ALP)? A: 44-147 U/L (adults)
36. Q: What does an elevated ALP suggest? A: Cholestasis, bone disease, or liver obstruction.
37. Q: What is the normal range for total bilirubin? A: 0.3-1.2 mg/dL (5-21 μmol/L)
