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: 0.5–1.1
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: 4.1–5.1 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
Female36–46%
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, Paget’s 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