Name of Test Purpose Normal Range High Results Mean Low Results Mean

Low blood volume/ Liver failure, cirrhosis,

BUN Indirect measure
(Blood Urea Nitrogen) kidney function 10 20 dehydration, shock, HF, overhydration, nephrotic
kidney disease, drug toxicity syndrome
Diagnose impaired Male: 0.6 1.2 Kidney disease, heart failure, Debilitation, decreased
Creatinine (Cr) kidney function muscle disease muscle mass
Female: 0.51.1
Distal renal tubular
Measure urine Dehydration, pituitary tumor,
Specific Gravity disease, polycystic kidney
(Urinalysis)
particle 1.010 1.030 hypotension, HF, liver
disease, overhydration,
concentration failure
diabetes insipidus
Detects & monitors
Amylase (AMS) pancreatitis 60 120 Pancreatitis

Too much insulin

Diabetes, stress response,
production/overdose,
Glucose (serum) Blood sugar level 70 105 Cushing's, hyperthyroidism,
hypothyroidism,
acute/chronic pancreatitis
Addison's, liver disease
Cholesterol (serum) Risk for CAD < 200 Family high cholesterol/lipid Malabsorption,malnutrition

CBC
Male: 4.5 5.3 Illness, high altitude,
Anemia, hemorrhage, liver
RBC Evaluate anemia congenital heart disease,
cirrhosis
Female: 4.15.1 COPD
Drug toxicity, bone
WBC
Evaluates infection
or
5,000 Infection, leukemic cancer, marrow failure,
immunosuppression 10,000 steroid usage, severe sepsis overwhelming infections,
lupus
Rapid indirect Male: 13 18 Congenital heart disease, Anemia, cirrhosis,
Hemoglobin (Hgb) measurement of
RBC count Female: 12 16 dehydration, COPD hemorrhage
Indirect
measurement of red Male: 42 52% Congenital heart disease, Anemia, cirrhosis,
Hematocrit (Hct) blood cell number dehydration, COPD hemorrhage
and volume
Female3646%
150,000 Malignant disorders, Hemorrhage, infection,
Platelet Blood ability to clot
rheumatoid arthritis, anemia cancer therapy
400,000

Coagulation Studies
Anticoagulation therapy,
PT Tests extrinsic Digitalis therapy, diuretic
(Prothrombin time) clotting 11 15 seconds DIC, hepatic disease,
action, vitamin K therapy
malabsorption
PTT Tests coagulation Deficiency factors,
(Partial thromboplastin time) mechanisms 60 70 seconds anticoagulation therapy
Extensive cancer, DIC
APTT More sensitive than
(Activated PTT) PTT 30 45 seconds
INR Test for coagulation > 1.5 2.0 Blood too thin, warfarin
Blood too thick
(International Normalized Ratio) *Higher for prosthetic valve (Coumadin) therapy
DIC, recent surgery, active
Assess for or recent bleeding, TE,
breakdown of a
D-Dimer venous clot (DVT, < 0.5 pregnancy, liver disease,
PE) inflammation, malignancy,
hypercoagulable states
 Electrolytes
Hyperparathyroidism,
Parathyroid function Hypoparathyroidism, renal
Calcium (Ca) & Ca2+ metabolism 8.6 10.2 metastatic tumor to bone,
failure, vitamin D defic.
Paget's disease
Overhydration, HF, pyloric
Acid-base status and Dehydration,
Chloride (Cl) hydration status 97 107 hyperventilation, DM
obstruction, respiratory
acidosis
Deficient intake, diuretics
(thiazide), Cushing's,
Fluid/Electrolyte Excessive intake, hyperadlosteronism,
Potassium (K) status, heart 3.5 5.0 kidney disease/failure, steroid therapy,
function Addison's, DKA malignant HTN, cirrhosis
with ascites, chronic
diarrhea/vomiting
Decreased dietary intake,
Increased intake, Addison's, excessive water
Fluid/Electrolyte
Sodium (Na) status 135 145 Cushing's, excessive intake, vomiting/diarrhea,
sweating, diabetes insipidus HF, burns, thoracentesis,
ascites, SIADH
Profound GI losses
Ca/Phosphorus Renal failure, elderly, (suction, diarrhea), small
Magnesium (Mg) balance 1.3 2.3 antacid overuse bowel changes, alcoholics,
loop diuretics, antibiotics

Liver Function Tests (LFTs)

Hepatitis, hepatic necrosis,
Identify diseases of
ALT the liver 4 36 cirrhosis, hepatic tumor,
obstructive jaundice
Evaluate suspected Acute renal disease,
AST coronary artery Heart diseases, liver
beriberi, pregnancy,
(Aspartate occlusive disease or 0 35 diseases, skeletal muscle
diabetic ketoacidosis,
transaminase) hepatocellular diseases, anemia, pancreatitis
disease chronic renal dialysis

Primary cirrhosis, liver Scurvy, pernicious anemia,

ALP Detect & monitor
tumor, Pagets disease, malnutrition,
(Alkaline diseases of the liver 30 120 Rheumatoid arthritis, hypophosphatemia, milk-
phosphatase) or bone
myocardial infarction alkali syndrome

Diagnose, evaluate,
monitor cancer, Malnutrition, liver disease,
Albumin immune dx, liver 3.5 5 Dehydration
pregnancy, overhydration
dx, nutrition, edema

Gallstones, extrahepatic duct

Evaluates liver obstruction, liver metastasis,
function and
Bilirubin patients with 0.3 1.0 cholestasis from drugs,
hemolytic anemias Dubin-Johnson syndrome,
anemias, cirrhosis

Supports diagnosis Liver disease, Reye's Essential or malignant

Ammonia (serum) of liver disease 80 110 Syndrome hypertension