Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
78 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
What types of specimens are typically analzyed for chemistry testing?
|
serum
plasma whole blood other body fluids |
|
renal function, liver function, thyroid function, cardiac function, pancreatic function, levels of lipids & lipoproteins
|
Body functions that chemistry test panels evaluate
|
|
What is a spectrophotometer, and what is its principle use?
|
an instrument that measures light in a solution to determine the concentration of substances in it; widely used to measure various substances in pts blood
|
|
What tests can a doctor use to test for renal function?
|
BUN
Creatinine Electrolyte levels Uric acid |
|
What electrolytes are found in the blood?
|
Sodium
Magnesium Bicarbonate Calcium Chloride Phosphorus Potassium |
|
What is the chemical symbol for sodium?
|
Na
|
|
What is hyponatremia, and what can cause it?
|
low levels of sodium; <135 mEq/L; gastrointestinal losses, severe burns, cardiac & renal failure
|
|
What is hypernatremia, and what can cause it?
|
high levels of sodium; >145 mEq/L; drug therapy, Cushing's syndrome, and diabetes insipidus
|
|
What is the chemical symbol for potassium?
|
K
|
|
what conditions can an abnormal potassium level cause?
|
muscle weekness
paralysis cardiac arrhythmias |
|
Hypokalemia
|
low potassium; <35 mEq/L
|
|
Hyperkalemia
|
high potassium; >50 mEq/L
|
|
What can cause an artifactual hyperkalemia?
|
result from a traumatic venipuncture, hemolysis of RBCs, or if the tourniquet is on pts arm too long or too tightly when blood is drawn
|
|
What is the chemical symbol for chloride
|
Cl
|
|
What is the chemical symbol of calcium?
|
Ca
|
|
Hypocalcemia
|
low calcium; <8.5 mg/dL
|
|
Hypercalcemia
|
high calcium; >10.5 mg/dL
|
|
What is the chemical symbol for magnesium?
|
Mg
|
|
What is the chemical symbol for bicarbonate?
|
HCO3
|
|
What is the normal range for bicarbonate?
|
22-29 mmoles/L of total CO2
|
|
What role does bicarbonate play?
|
major role in delicate acid-base balance
|
|
What is urea?
|
waste product that forms in the liver
|
|
What does "BUN" stand for?
|
BLOOD UREA NITROGEN
|
|
What can cause an elevated BUN?
|
LIVER & RENAL FUNCTIONS
|
|
What is creatinine?
|
waste product of creatine (chemical compound in body that is used to store energy)
|
|
Creatinine can be useful in the evaluation of ________ function.
|
RENAL
|
|
What is uric acid?
|
byproduct of protein metabolism in the blood
|
|
Patients with _____ have high _________ buildup in their joints. _________ fluid may be examined under the microscope for the presence of uric acid crystals.
|
gout; uric acid; synovial (joint)
|
|
What are the major functions of the liver?
|
*production of bile
*metabolism of many compounds used by the body *processing of bilirubin *detoxifying substances in the bloodwww |
|
What tests are helpful in the evaluation of liver function?
|
*bilirubin
*alkaline phosphatase (ALP) *alanine aminotransferase (ALT) *aspartate aminotransferase (AST) *albumin |
|
What is bilirubin?
|
substance that's produced as a byproduct of Hgb breakdown
|
|
Bilirubin is commonly measured to determine the health of the ______. Any specimen that will be tested for bilirubin must be protected from exposure to ______.
|
liver; light
|
|
protein produced by living cells that speeds up chemical reactions
|
ENZYME
|
|
List three of the enzymes present in the liver.
|
ALP, ALT, AST
|
|
where in the body can ALP be found?
|
*bones
*liver *intestines *kidneys *placenta |
|
In what conditions would high levels of ALP be considered normal?
|
*PERIODS OF BONE GROWTH
*CHILDHOOD GROWTH SPURTS *THIRD TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY |
|
What can cause increased levels of ALT & AST?
|
*ORGAN DAMAGE
*SOME MEDICATIONS |
|
What is the role of albumin?
|
binds & transports substances in the blood; helps to maintain fluid balance in the body's tissues
|
|
What can cause decreased levels of albumin?
|
*malnutrition & muscle-wasting diseases
*liver disease that makes liver cells unable to produce albumin *excessive loss in urine due to renal disease *inflammation of the intestinal tract *burns |
|
The thyroid gland regulates the body's metabolism by secreting two hormones--________ & ________. The thyroid galnd is controlled by the hormone ___________.
|
TRIIODOTHYRONINE (T3); THYROXIN (T4); THYROID-STIMUALTING HORMONE (TSH)
|
|
Where in the body is creatine kinase (CK) found?
|
skeletal muscle, myocardium, nervous tissue (in the brain)
|
|
Differentiate the three isoenyzmes of CK.
|
MM (muscle enzyme)
MB (heart enzyme) BB (brain enzyme) |
|
What tests are ordered to determine if a patient has had a heart attack?
|
CKMB & total CK
|
|
protein specific to heart muscle; help diagnose acute MI
|
TROPONIN
|
|
Troponin levels rise within ________ after myocardial damage and can stay elevated for up to __________.
|
4 HOURS; 14 DAYS
|
|
How are troponin levels useful to a doctor?
|
used to evaluate extent of cardiac damage and to help physician develop a prognosis for the patient
|
|
________ & ________ are two exocrine system products of the pancreas and can be tested to detect _________.
|
AMYLASE; LIPASE; PANCREATITIS
|
|
Extra glucose is stored as _________ in the liver and muslces, or as fat. _______ is the stored form of glucose.
|
GLYCOGEN; GLYCOGEN
|
|
Specimen can be drawn at any time for glucose test
|
RANDOM BLOOD GLUCOSE
|
|
Obtained following 8- to 12-hour fast in which the pt ingests nothing but water
|
FASTING BLOOD SUGAR (FBS)
|
|
Drawn 2 hours after meal
|
TWO-HOUR POSTPRANDIAL GLUCOSE
|
|
Levels checked at intervals after the pt takes a large dose of glucose
|
GLUCOSE TOLERANCE TEST (GTT)
|
|
The GTT is used to diagnose _____ and _______.
|
DIABETES; HYPOGLYCEMIA
|
|
Discuss the timing for specimen collection during a GTT.
|
30 min, 1 hr, 2 hr, 3 hr, etc.
|
|
What color of collection tube is recommended for GTT testing for longer stability?
|
GRAY STOPPER TUBES containing SODIUM FLOURIDE
|
|
A diagnosis of diabetes requires a fasting blood glucose of ___________ or above.
|
125 mg/dL
|
|
sweating, weakness, dizziness, headache, trembling, lethargy
|
SYMPTOMS OF HYPOGLYCEMIA
|
|
The __________ test measures the avg amt of glucose that's been circulating in the pt's blood over a _________ period.
|
HGB A1C; 3-MONTH
|
|
Discuss screening for gestational diabetes.
|
The most common way to screen a pregnant pt for g.d. is to drink a 50g glucose drink and then draw her blood 1 hr later; performed during 2nd trimester >155 mg/dL
|
|
What tests are useful in the assessment of heart disease risk?
|
*cholesterol
*lipids *lipoproteins |
|
The AHA recommends that cholesterol levels be less than ________. Levels above that may be considered as an increased risk for _________.
|
200 mg/dL; ATHEROSCLEROSIS
|
|
buildup of fatty plaque on the interior lining of arteries, causing the arteries to narrow & harden
|
ATHEROSCLEROSIS
|
|
What is LDL?
|
low-density lipoprotein--protein found in blood plasma that carries cholesterol from the liver to the walls of large and medium-sized arteries
|
|
Normal levels of LDL
|
<100 mg/dL
|
|
What is HDL?
|
high-density lipoprotein--protein molecule taht carries cholesterol from the walls of the arteries beack to the liver
|
|
HDL is commonly referred to as the __________.
|
GOOD CHOLESTEROL
|
|
The lower a patient's HDL level, the _________ their risk for heart disease.
|
GREATER
|
|
In general, triglyceride levels should be ________ than ________.
|
LESS; 150 mg/dL
|
|
Normal range for: BUN
|
10-20 mg/dL
|
|
Normal range for: CALCIUM
|
8.5-10.5 mg/dL
|
|
Normal range for: CHLORIDE
|
96-110 mEq/L
|
|
Normal range for: CHOLESTEROL
|
120-200 mg/dL
|
|
Normal range for: CREATININE
|
0.8-1.4 mg/dL
|
|
Normal range for: GLUCOSE
|
60-100 mg/dL
|
|
Normal range for: POTASSIUM
|
3.5-5.0 mEq/L
|
|
Normal range for: SODIUM
|
135-146 mEq/L
|
|
Normal range for: TRIGLYCERIDES (MEN)
|
40-160 mg/dL
|
|
Normal range for: TRIGLYCERIDES (WOMEN)
|
35-135 mg/dL
|