LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF NURSING
Accepted Lab Values Adapted from Kaplan
Lab Normal Value S & S of ↓
Sodium 135-145mEq/L Nausea, muscle cramps, ICP,
confusion, muscle twitching,
convulsion
Potassium 3.5-5.0mEq/L Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, EKG
changes, muscle weakness,
paresthesias
Chloride 95-105mEq/L Decreased levels with decreased
serum albumin may indicate water
deficiency crossing the cell
membrane (edema).
CO2 24-30mEq/L The CO2 level is related to the
respiratory exchange of carbon
dioxide in the lungs and is part of the
body’s buffering system. Generally
when used with the other
electrolytes, it is a good indicator of
acidosis and alkalinity.
Glucose 60-100 mg/dL fasting Insulin reaction:
Infants 40-50mg/dL; Irritable, confusion, tremors, blurred
>125 hyperglycemia, vision, coma, seizures, hypotension,
>150 in preterm tachycardia, skin cool & clammy,
diaphoretic
BUN 8-20 mg/dL Decreased levels may be due to a
poor diet, malabsorption, liver
damage or low nitrogen intake.
Creatinine Adult 0.6-1.5 mg/dL Low levels are sometimes seen in
kidney damage, protein starvation,
liver disease or pregnancy.
Albumin 3.5-5.0 g/dL Lower levels are seen in poor diets,
diarrhea, fever, infection, liver
disease, inadequate iron intake, third-
degree burns and edemas or
hypocalcemia
Ionized 4.5-5.2 mg/dL Nervous system excitable, tetany,
Calcium seizures, confusion, parathesias,
irritability; Trousseau’s sign
Total 8.5-10.5 mg/dL
Serum
Calcium
S & S of ↑
Elevated temp, weakness,
disorientation, delusions,
hallucinations, thirst, dry swollen
tongue, tachycardia, hypotension
EKG changes, cardiac arrest,
muscle weakness, paralysis,
nausea, diarrhea
Elevated levels are related to
acidosis as well as too much water
crossing the cell membrane.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis:
HA, drowsiness, weakness, stupor,
coma, hypotension, tachycardia,
skin warm & dry, elevated temp,
polyuria progressing to oliguria,
polydipsia, polyphagia,
Kussmaul’s respirations, fruity
odor
Increases can be caused by
excessive protein intake, kidney
damage, certain drugs, low fluid
intake, intestinal bleeding, exercise
or heart failure.
Elevated levels are sometimes seen
in kidney disease due to the
kidney’s job of excreting
creatinine, muscle degeneration,
and some drugs involved in
impairment of kidney function.
High levels are seen in liver
disease (rarely), shock,
dehydration, or multiple myeloma.
Sedative effect, muscle weakness,
lack of coordination, constipation,
abdominal pain & distension,
confusion, depressed or absent
tendon reflexes, dysrhytmias
Lab Normal Value S & S of ↓ S & S of ↑
Magnesium 1.5-3.0 U/L Mag acts as a depressant so low mg High mg
- tremors, seizures, tetany, - depressed CNS
- dysrhythmias, depression, - depressed cardiac
confusion impulse
- dysphagia - hypotension
- facial flushing
- absent deep tendon
reflexes, muscle
weakness
- shallow, slow respirations
RBC Men 4.6-6.2 Anemia (various types), hemorrhage Congenital heart disease, cor
million/mm8 (bleeding, bone marrow failure (for pulmonale, pulmonary fibrosis,
Women 4.2-5.4 example, from radiation, toxin, polycythemia vera, dehydration
Children 3.2-5.2 fibrosis, tumor), erythropoietin (such as from severe diarrhea),
deficiency (secondary to kidney kidney disease with high
disease), hemolysis (RBC erythropoietin production
destruction) from transfusion
reaction, leukemia, multiple
myeloma, malnutrition
WBC Adults 5,000- Bone marrow failure (for example, Infectious diseases, inflammatory
10,000/mm8 due to infection, tumor, fibrosis), disease (such as rheumatoid
Children 5,000- presence of cytotoxic substance, arthritis or allergy), leukemia,
13,000 collagen-vascular diseases (such as severe emotional or physical
lupus erythematosus), disease of the stress, tissue damage (for example,
liver or spleen, radiation burns), anemia
HGB Men 13-18 gm/dL Anemia, bleeding, erythropoietin, Heart disease, cor pulmonale,
Women 12-15 gm/dL lead poisoning, malnutrition polycythemia vera, pulmonary
Children 11-12.5 fibrosis
gm/dL
HCT Men 42 – 50% Anemia, bleeding, bone marrow Dehydration, erythrocytosis,
Women 40-48% suppression, leukemia, multiple polychthemia vera
Children 35-45% myeloma, rheumatoid arthritis,
malnutrition
Platelets 100,000- Thrombocytopenia; low production Thrombocytosis:
400,000/mm8 of platelets in the bone marrow, Polycythemia vera, post-
increased breakdown of platelets in splenectomy syndrome, primary
the bloodstream, spleen or liver thrombocytosis, certain
malignancies, early CML, anemia
PT 9.5-12 seconds An abnormal result is most often due Bleeding disorder or effective
to liver disease, vitamin K Coumadin therapy
deficiency or oral anticoagulant
therapy.
PTT 20-45 seconds Measures clotting time Bleeding, effectiveness of Heparin
Therapeutic range therapy
1.5-2 x normal
Urine Spec 1.010-1.030 Dilute urine Concentrated urine
Gravity

CVP 3-11 cm water Hypovolemia Hypervolemia or poor cardiac

contractility
Lab Normal Value S & S of ↓ S & S of ↑
ABG’s 7.35-7.45 Acidosis Alkalosis
pH
PaCO2 35-45 mm Hg Low with pH – High with ↓ pH –
Respiratory alkalosis Respiratory acidosis
PaO2 80-100 mm Hg Hypoxia
HCO3 22-26 mEq/L Low with ↓ pH – High with pH –
Metabolic acidosis Metabolis alkalosis
BE +/- 1 Hypovolemia Hypervolemia
O2 Sat 95-99% Hypoxia