TEST
|
NORMAL
VALUE*
|
CLINICAL
SIGNIFICANCE
|
Blood
urea nitrogen (BUN)
|
7-18
mg/dL
|
Increased
in renal disease and dehydration; decreased in liver damage and malnutrition
|
Carbon
dioxide (CO2) (includes bicarbonate)
|
23-30
mmol/L
|
Useful
to evaluate acid-base balance by measuring total carbon dioxide in the blood:
Elevated in vomiting and pulmonary disease; decreased in diabetic acidosis,
acute renal failure, and hyperventilation
|
Chloride
(Cl)
|
98-106
mEq/L
|
Increased
in dehydration, hyperventilation, and congestive heart failure; decreased in
vomiting,diarrhea, and fever
|
Creatinine
|
0.6-1.2
mg/dL
|
Produced
at a constant rate and excreted by the kidney; increased in kidney disease
|
Glucose
|
Fasting:
70-110 mg/dL Random: 85-125 mg/dL
|
Increased
in diabetes and severe illness; decreased in insulin overdose or hypoglycemia
|
Potassium
(K)
|
3.5-5
mEq/L
|
Increased
in renal failure, extensive cell damage, and acidosis; decreased in vomiting,
diarrhea, and excess administration of diuretics or IV fluids
|
Sodium
(Na)
|
101-111
mEq/L or 135-148 mEq/L (depending on test)
|
Increased
in dehydration and diabetes insipidus; decreased in overload of IV fluids,
burns,diarrhea, or vomiting
|
Alanine
aminotransferase (ALT)
|
10-40
U/L
|
Used
to diagnose and monitor treatment of liver disease and to monitor the effects
of drugs on the liver; increased in myocardial infarction
|
Albumin
|
3.8-5.0
g/dL
|
Albumin
holds water in blood; decreased in liver disease and kidney disease
|
Albumin-globulin
ratio (A/G ratio)
|
Greater
than 1
|
Low
A/G ratio signifies a tendency for edema because globulin is less effective
than albumin at holding water in the blood
|
Alkaline
phosphatase (ALP)
|
20-70
U/L (varies by method)
|
Enzyme
of bone metabolism; increased in liver disease and metastatic bone disease
|
Amylase
|
21-160
U/L
|
Used
to diagnose and monitor treatment of acute pancreatitis and to detect
inflammation of the salivary glands
|
Aspartate
aminotransferase (AST)
|
0-41
U/L (varies)
|
Enzyme
present in tissues with high metabolic activity; increased in myocardial
infarction and liver disease
|
Bilirubin,
total
|
0.2-1.0
mg/dL
|
Breakdown
product of hemoglobin from red blood cells; increased when excessive red
blood cells are being destroyed or in liver disease
|
Calcium
(Ca)
|
8.8-10.0
mg/dL
|
Increased
in excess parathyroid hormone production and in cancer; decreased in
alkalosis, elevated phosphate in renal failure, and excess IV fluids
|
Cholesterol
|
120-220
mg/dL desirable range
|
Screening
test used to evaluate risk of heart disease; levels of 200 mg/dL or above
indicate increased risk of heart disease and warrant further investigation
|
Creatine
phosphokinase (CPK or CK)
|
Men:
38-174 U/L Women: 96-140 U/L
|
Elevated
enzyme level indicates myocardial infarction or damage to skeletal muscle.
When elevated,specific fractions (isoenzymes) are tested for
|
Gamma-glutamyl
transferase (GGT)
|
Men:
6-26 U/L Women: 4-18 U/L
|
Used
to diagnose liver disease and to test for chronic alcoholism
|
Globulins
|
2.3-3.5
g/dL
|
Proteins
active in immunity; help albumin keep water in blood
|
Iron,
serum (Fe)
|
Men:
75-175 g/dL Women:65-165 /dL
|
Decreased
in iron deficiency and anemia; increased in hemolytic conditions
|
High-density
lipoproteins (HDLs)
|
Men:
30-70 mg/dL Women:30-85 mg/dL
|
Used
to evaluate the risk of heart disease
|
Lactic
dehydrogenase(LDH or LD)
|
95-200
U/L (Normal ranges vary greatly)
|
Enzyme
released in many kinds of tissue damage, including myocardial infarction,
pulmonary infarction, and liver disease
|
Lipase
|
4-24
U/L (varies with test)
|
Enzyme
used to diagnose pancreatitis
|
Low-density
lipoproteins (LDLs)
|
80-140
mg/dL
|
Used
to evaluate the risk of heart disease
|
Magnesium
(Mg)
|
1.3-2.1
mEq/L
|
Vital
in neuromuscular function; decreased levels may occur in malnutrition,
alcoholism, pancreatitis, diarrhea
|
Phosphorus
((Page*)) (inorganic)
|
2.7-4.5
mg/dL
|
Evaluated
in response to calcium; main store is in bone: elevated in kidney disease;
decreased in excess parathyroid hormone
|
Protein,
total
|
6-8
g/dL
|
Increased
in dehydration, multiple myeloma;decreased in kidney disease, liver disease,
poor nutrition, severe burns, excessive bleeding
|
Serum
glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (SGOT)
|
>
|
See
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)
|
Serum
glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT)
|
>
|
See
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)
|
Thyroxin
(T4)
|
5-12.5
g/dL (varies)
|
Screening
test of thyroid function; increased in hyperthyroidism; decreased in myxedema
and hypothyroidism
|
Thyroid-stimulatinghormone
(TSH)
|
0.5-6
mlU/L
|
Produced
by pituitary to promote thyroid gland function; elevated when thyroid gland
is not functioning
|
Triiodothyronine
(T3)
|
120-195
mg/dL
|
Elevated
in specific types of hyperthyroidism
|
Triglycerides
|
Men:
40-160 mg/dL Women: 35-135 mg/dL
|
An
indication of ability to metabolize fats; increased triglycerides and
cholesterol indicate high risk of atherosclerosis
|
Uric
acid
|
Men:
3.5-7.2 mg/dL Women:2.6-6.0 mg/dL
|
Produced
by breakdown of ingested purines in food and nucleic acids; elevated in
kidney disease, gout, and leukemia
|