TIETZ FUNDAMENTALS OF CLINICAL
CHEMISTRY COMPLETE PREPARATION GUIDE
WITH LAB TESTING AND DIAGNOSTIC
INTERPRETATION REVIEW
◉ Absorption Spectrum.
Answer: The graphical plot of absorbance versus wavelength (the
absorbance spectrum) for a specific compound. Absorptivity: A
measure of the absorp- tion of radiant energy at a given wavelength
and/or frequency as it passes through a solution of a sub- stance at a
concentration of 1 mol/L; expressed as the absorbance divided by
the product of the concentration of a substance and the sample path
length.
◉ Accreditation.
Answer: An audit technique that is used to assess the quality of a
process by checking that defined operational standards are being
followed, in this case in the performance of point-of-care testing.
◉ Acid Phosphatase.
Answer: An enzyme of the hydrolase class that catalyzes the
cleavage of orthophosphate from orthophosphoric monoesters
under acid conditions.
,◉ Acid-Base Balance.
Answer: The homeostatic maintenance of acids and bases within the
body to achieve a physiologic pH (approximately 7.40).
◉ Acid-Base Measurement.
Answer: The measure- ment of whole blood pH and blood gases.
◉ Acidemia.
Answer: An arterial blood pH < 7.35.
◉ Acromegaly.
Answer: A chronic disease of adults caused by hypersecretion of
pituitary growth hormone and characterized by enlargement of
many parts of the skeleton.
◉ Activation Energy.
Answer: In enzymology, the energy required for a molecule to form
an activated complex. In an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, this
corresponds to the formation of the activated enzyme-substrate
complex.
◉ Activator.
Answer: An effector molecule that increases the catalytic activity of
an enzyme when t binds to a specific site
,◉ Active Center.
Answer: That part of enzyme or other protein at which the initial
binding of substrate and enzyme occurs to form the intermediate
enzyme-substrate complex. Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS): A
sudden cardiac disorder that varies from angina (chest pain on
exertion with reversible tissue injury), to unstable angina (with
minor myocar- dial injury), to myocardial infarction (with extensive
tissue necrosis).
◉ Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI).
Answer: Gross necrosis of the myocardium as a result of
interruption of the blood supply to an area of the cardiac muscle - it
is almost always caused by atherosclerosis of the coronary arter- ies
upon which coronary thrombosis is usually superimposed;
commonly called a "heart attack."
◉ Acute Pancreatitis.
Answer: An acute episode of enzymatic destruction of the pancre-
atic substance due to the escape of active pancreatic enzymes into
the pancreatic tissue.
◉ Acute-Phase Reaction.
Answer: The body's response to injury or inflammation, including
fever, leukocytosis, and protein changes.
, ◉ Acute Porphyrias.
Answer: Inherited disorders of heme biosynthesis, characterized by
acute attacks of neurovisceral symptoms; potentially life threaten-
ing; detected by elevated urine PBG.
◉ Additives.
Answer: Compounds added to bio- logical specimens to prevent
them from clotting or to preserve their constituents.
◉ Adenohypophysis.
Answer: The anterior glan- dular lobe of the pituitary gland.
Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone
◉ (ACTH).
Answer: A 39 amino acid peptide hormone secreted by the anterior
pituitary gland that stimulates the adrenal cortex to secrete cortico-
steroids.
◉ Advanced Glycation End Products (AGE).
Answer: Proteins that have been irre-versibly modified by
nonenzymatic attachment of glucose; may contrib- ute to: the
chronic complications of diabetes.
CHEMISTRY COMPLETE PREPARATION GUIDE
WITH LAB TESTING AND DIAGNOSTIC
INTERPRETATION REVIEW
◉ Absorption Spectrum.
Answer: The graphical plot of absorbance versus wavelength (the
absorbance spectrum) for a specific compound. Absorptivity: A
measure of the absorp- tion of radiant energy at a given wavelength
and/or frequency as it passes through a solution of a sub- stance at a
concentration of 1 mol/L; expressed as the absorbance divided by
the product of the concentration of a substance and the sample path
length.
◉ Accreditation.
Answer: An audit technique that is used to assess the quality of a
process by checking that defined operational standards are being
followed, in this case in the performance of point-of-care testing.
◉ Acid Phosphatase.
Answer: An enzyme of the hydrolase class that catalyzes the
cleavage of orthophosphate from orthophosphoric monoesters
under acid conditions.
,◉ Acid-Base Balance.
Answer: The homeostatic maintenance of acids and bases within the
body to achieve a physiologic pH (approximately 7.40).
◉ Acid-Base Measurement.
Answer: The measure- ment of whole blood pH and blood gases.
◉ Acidemia.
Answer: An arterial blood pH < 7.35.
◉ Acromegaly.
Answer: A chronic disease of adults caused by hypersecretion of
pituitary growth hormone and characterized by enlargement of
many parts of the skeleton.
◉ Activation Energy.
Answer: In enzymology, the energy required for a molecule to form
an activated complex. In an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, this
corresponds to the formation of the activated enzyme-substrate
complex.
◉ Activator.
Answer: An effector molecule that increases the catalytic activity of
an enzyme when t binds to a specific site
,◉ Active Center.
Answer: That part of enzyme or other protein at which the initial
binding of substrate and enzyme occurs to form the intermediate
enzyme-substrate complex. Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS): A
sudden cardiac disorder that varies from angina (chest pain on
exertion with reversible tissue injury), to unstable angina (with
minor myocar- dial injury), to myocardial infarction (with extensive
tissue necrosis).
◉ Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI).
Answer: Gross necrosis of the myocardium as a result of
interruption of the blood supply to an area of the cardiac muscle - it
is almost always caused by atherosclerosis of the coronary arter- ies
upon which coronary thrombosis is usually superimposed;
commonly called a "heart attack."
◉ Acute Pancreatitis.
Answer: An acute episode of enzymatic destruction of the pancre-
atic substance due to the escape of active pancreatic enzymes into
the pancreatic tissue.
◉ Acute-Phase Reaction.
Answer: The body's response to injury or inflammation, including
fever, leukocytosis, and protein changes.
, ◉ Acute Porphyrias.
Answer: Inherited disorders of heme biosynthesis, characterized by
acute attacks of neurovisceral symptoms; potentially life threaten-
ing; detected by elevated urine PBG.
◉ Additives.
Answer: Compounds added to bio- logical specimens to prevent
them from clotting or to preserve their constituents.
◉ Adenohypophysis.
Answer: The anterior glan- dular lobe of the pituitary gland.
Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone
◉ (ACTH).
Answer: A 39 amino acid peptide hormone secreted by the anterior
pituitary gland that stimulates the adrenal cortex to secrete cortico-
steroids.
◉ Advanced Glycation End Products (AGE).
Answer: Proteins that have been irre-versibly modified by
nonenzymatic attachment of glucose; may contrib- ute to: the
chronic complications of diabetes.
