11/17/23, 8:12 AM Lab Values Need to Know
*RBC-used to diagnose anemia & blood dyscrasias
Male adult: 4.5 – 6.2 million/mm3
Female adult: 4.5 – 5.0 million/mm3
*HEMOGLOBIN (Hgb)- measures the severity of anemia (low Hgb) or polycythemia (high Hgb)
& therapeutic regimen effectiveness
Male adult- 14- 17 g/dl
Female adult- 12.6-16 g/dl
*HEMATOCRIT (Hct)- represents the percentage of total blood volume that is made up of RBC’s
Male adult-42-52%
Female adult- 35-47%
*White Blood Cells (WBC)- body’s first line of defense against foreign bodies, tissues & other
substances
4,0oo- 11,000 cells/mm3
Platelets (PLT)- produced in the bone marrow & plays a role in hemostasis. Functions in
hemostatic plug formation, clot retraction & coagulation factor activation
130,000 -400,000 cells/mm3
*Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT)- measures the amount of time it requires for
recalcified citrated plasma to clot after partial thromboplastin is added. Screens for deficiencies
of all factors except factors VII and XIII
24.4-36.5 seconds depending on the type of activator used
*Prothrombin Time and International Normalized Ratio (PT/INR)- measures the amount of time
it takes in seconds for clot formation, the INR is calculated from a PT result to monitor
effectiveness of warfarin (Coumadin)
12.5-14.8 seconds
INR- 0.7-1.30
Creatinine (Cr): 0.5 to 1.6 mg/dL-specific indicator of renal function
Blood urea nitrogen (BUN): 10 to 20 mg/dL
*Potassium (K+): 3.3 – 5.1mEq/L-regulates acid-base balance, controls cellular water balance &
transmits electrical impulses in skeletal & cardiac muscles
*Sodium (Na+): 133-145 mEq/L-maintains osmotic pressure & acid-base balance, & assists in the
transmission of nerve impulses. Absorbed in small intestine & excreted in urine
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, 11/17/23, 8:12 AM Lab Values Need to Know
Chloride (Cl-): 96 – 108 mEq/L-functions to counterbalance cations such as sodium, & acts as a
buffer during oxygen & carbon dioxide exchange in RBCs. Aids in digestion & maintaining
osmotic pressure & water balance
*Calcium (Ca+): functions in bone formation, nerve impulse transmission & contraction of
myocardial & skeletal muscles. Aids in blood clotting by converting prothrombin to thrombin
*Total calcium: 4.5 – 5.5 mEq/L (8.5 to 10.5 mg/dL)
Ionized calcium: 2.5 mEq/L (4.0 – 5.0 mg/dL) 56% of total calcium
*Phosphorus (P): 1.8 – 2.6 mEq/L (2.5 to 4.5 mg/dL)- important in bone formation, energy
storage & release, urinary acid-base buffering & carbohydrate metabolism. Excreted by the
kidneys & high concentrations stored in the bone & skeletal muscle
*Magnesium (Mg): 1.6 to 2.6 mg/dL-index used to determine metabolic activity & renal
function. Needed for blood-clotting mechanisms, regulates neuromuscular activity, acts as a
cofactor that modifies the activity of enzymes
(*)Serum Osmolality: 280 to 300 mOsm/kg-measure of the solute concentration of the blood.
Usually estimated by doubling the serum sodium as sodium is a major determinant of serum
osmolality
*Serum bicarbonate: 22 to 29 mEq/L-part of the bicarbonate-carbonic acid buffering system &
mainly responsible for regulating the pH of body fluids
*Lipoprotein Profile
Cholesterol: Less than 200 mg/dL-present in all body tissues & a major component of
LDL, brain & nerve cells
High-density lipoprotein (HDL): Greater than 40 mg/dL
Low density lipoprotein (LDL): Less than 70 mg/dL
Triglycerides: Less than 150 mg/dL-major part of very low density lipoproteins.
Increased levels place patient at risk for coronary artery disease
*Troponin I < 0.03 ng/mL (< 0.03 mcg/L)
*Troponin T < 0.1 ng/mL (< 0.1 mcg/L)
ALT: 7 to 56
AST: 10 to 40
ABI: 0.9 to 1.3; less than 0.9 in either leg indicates PAD
*Albumin: 3.5 to 5 g/dL-main plasma protein that maintains oncotic pressure & transports
bilirubin, fatty acids, medications & hormones
Ammonia: 35 – 65 mcg/dL (adult)-byproduct of protein catabolism
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*RBC-used to diagnose anemia & blood dyscrasias
Male adult: 4.5 – 6.2 million/mm3
Female adult: 4.5 – 5.0 million/mm3
*HEMOGLOBIN (Hgb)- measures the severity of anemia (low Hgb) or polycythemia (high Hgb)
& therapeutic regimen effectiveness
Male adult- 14- 17 g/dl
Female adult- 12.6-16 g/dl
*HEMATOCRIT (Hct)- represents the percentage of total blood volume that is made up of RBC’s
Male adult-42-52%
Female adult- 35-47%
*White Blood Cells (WBC)- body’s first line of defense against foreign bodies, tissues & other
substances
4,0oo- 11,000 cells/mm3
Platelets (PLT)- produced in the bone marrow & plays a role in hemostasis. Functions in
hemostatic plug formation, clot retraction & coagulation factor activation
130,000 -400,000 cells/mm3
*Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT)- measures the amount of time it requires for
recalcified citrated plasma to clot after partial thromboplastin is added. Screens for deficiencies
of all factors except factors VII and XIII
24.4-36.5 seconds depending on the type of activator used
*Prothrombin Time and International Normalized Ratio (PT/INR)- measures the amount of time
it takes in seconds for clot formation, the INR is calculated from a PT result to monitor
effectiveness of warfarin (Coumadin)
12.5-14.8 seconds
INR- 0.7-1.30
Creatinine (Cr): 0.5 to 1.6 mg/dL-specific indicator of renal function
Blood urea nitrogen (BUN): 10 to 20 mg/dL
*Potassium (K+): 3.3 – 5.1mEq/L-regulates acid-base balance, controls cellular water balance &
transmits electrical impulses in skeletal & cardiac muscles
*Sodium (Na+): 133-145 mEq/L-maintains osmotic pressure & acid-base balance, & assists in the
transmission of nerve impulses. Absorbed in small intestine & excreted in urine
about:blank 1/10
, 11/17/23, 8:12 AM Lab Values Need to Know
Chloride (Cl-): 96 – 108 mEq/L-functions to counterbalance cations such as sodium, & acts as a
buffer during oxygen & carbon dioxide exchange in RBCs. Aids in digestion & maintaining
osmotic pressure & water balance
*Calcium (Ca+): functions in bone formation, nerve impulse transmission & contraction of
myocardial & skeletal muscles. Aids in blood clotting by converting prothrombin to thrombin
*Total calcium: 4.5 – 5.5 mEq/L (8.5 to 10.5 mg/dL)
Ionized calcium: 2.5 mEq/L (4.0 – 5.0 mg/dL) 56% of total calcium
*Phosphorus (P): 1.8 – 2.6 mEq/L (2.5 to 4.5 mg/dL)- important in bone formation, energy
storage & release, urinary acid-base buffering & carbohydrate metabolism. Excreted by the
kidneys & high concentrations stored in the bone & skeletal muscle
*Magnesium (Mg): 1.6 to 2.6 mg/dL-index used to determine metabolic activity & renal
function. Needed for blood-clotting mechanisms, regulates neuromuscular activity, acts as a
cofactor that modifies the activity of enzymes
(*)Serum Osmolality: 280 to 300 mOsm/kg-measure of the solute concentration of the blood.
Usually estimated by doubling the serum sodium as sodium is a major determinant of serum
osmolality
*Serum bicarbonate: 22 to 29 mEq/L-part of the bicarbonate-carbonic acid buffering system &
mainly responsible for regulating the pH of body fluids
*Lipoprotein Profile
Cholesterol: Less than 200 mg/dL-present in all body tissues & a major component of
LDL, brain & nerve cells
High-density lipoprotein (HDL): Greater than 40 mg/dL
Low density lipoprotein (LDL): Less than 70 mg/dL
Triglycerides: Less than 150 mg/dL-major part of very low density lipoproteins.
Increased levels place patient at risk for coronary artery disease
*Troponin I < 0.03 ng/mL (< 0.03 mcg/L)
*Troponin T < 0.1 ng/mL (< 0.1 mcg/L)
ALT: 7 to 56
AST: 10 to 40
ABI: 0.9 to 1.3; less than 0.9 in either leg indicates PAD
*Albumin: 3.5 to 5 g/dL-main plasma protein that maintains oncotic pressure & transports
bilirubin, fatty acids, medications & hormones
Ammonia: 35 – 65 mcg/dL (adult)-byproduct of protein catabolism
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