Biochemistry: Blood Cell and Electrolytes Quiz

White Blood Cell Count (WBC)

• Normal range: 4,500-10,000 per mm3
• Increased WBCs: Infection, inflammation, leukemia, trauma, stress, tissue necrosis, bone marrow depression, overwhelming infection, viral infection, immunosuppression, autoimmune disease, dietary deficiency
• Decreased WBCs: Bone marrow depression, overwhelming infection, viral infections, immunosuppression, autoimmune disease, dietary deficiencies

Potassium

• Normal range: 3.5-5.3 mEq/L
• Increased Potassium: Renal failure, potassium-sparing diuretic use, excessive potassium intake, adrenal insufficiency, acidosis, severe tissue trauma (burns), starvation, potassium-depleting diuretic use, corticosteroids, severe vomiting, gastric suctioning, alkalosis
• Decreased Potassium: Potassium-depleting diuretic use, corticosteroids, severe vomiting, gastric suctioning, alkalosis

Sodium

• Normal range: 135-145 mEq/L
• Increased Sodium: Impaired thirst mechanism, profuse sweating, diarrhea, diabetes insipidus, Cushing syndrome, diuretic use, renal disease, adrenal insufficiency, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive GI suctioning, heart failure, burns
• Decreased Sodium: Impaired thirst mechanism, profuse sweating, diarrhea, diabetes insipidus, Cushing syndrome, diuretic use, renal disease, adrenal insufficiency, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive GI suctioning, heart failure, burns

Total Cholesterol

• Normal range: <200 mg/dL
• High Cholesterol: Dietary high in cholesterol and fats, obesity, family history, alcoholism, diabetes/metabolic syndrome, chronic kidney disease, malnutrition, malabsorption, severe liver disease, certain cancers
• Low Cholesterol: (No specific causes listed, only implicitly mentioned)

Platelets

• Normal range: 150,000-450,000/uL
• High Platelets: Polycythemia Vera, malignant tumors, post-splenectomy
• Low Platelets: Idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura, Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, alcoholism, aplastic anemia, leukemia, chemotherapy/radiation

Prothrombin Time (PT) and International Normalized Ratio (INR)

• Increased PT/INR: Liver disease, biliary obstruction, disseminated intravascular coagulation, poor fat absorption, vitamin K deficiency, certain antibiotics, decreased dietary intake of vitamin K
• Decreased PT/INR: Increased dietary vitamin k intake, increased vitamin k absorption

Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT)

• High PTT: Hepatic disease, deficiencies in intrinsic clotting mechanisms, vitamin K deficiency

Glucose

• High Glucose: Diabetes/metabolic syndrome, acute stress reaction, chronic kidney disease, severe liver disease, pancreatitis, certain medications, Cushing's syndrome, acute alcohol ingestion, hypothyroidism, starvation, Addison's disease
• Low Glucose: Diabetes, pregnancy

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)

• High HbA1c: Diabetes/metabolic syndrome, acute stress reaction, chronic kidney disease, severe liver disease, pancreatitis, certain medications, Cushing's syndrome, acute alcohol ingestion, hypothyroidism, starvation, Addison's disease
• Low HbA1c: (No specific causes listed, only implicitly mentioned)

Hemoglobin

• High Hemoglobin: Polycythemia Vera, dehydration, COPD, heart failure
• Low Hemoglobin: Anemia, blood loss, diseases of the bone marrow, certain cancers, chronic kidney disease

Hematocrit

• High Hematocrit: Dehydration, COPD, polycythemia vera, heart failure, liver disease, nutritional deficits, pregnancy
• Low Hematocrit: Anemia, blood loss, diseases of the bone marrow, certain cancers, chronic kidney disease

Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)

• High BUN: Acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, dehydration, excessive protein ingestion, starvation, certain medications, inadequate dietary protein intake, malnutrition
• Low BUN: Overhydration, severe liver disease

Creatinine

• High Creatinine: Acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, rhabdomyolysis, decreased muscle mass, inadequate dietary protein intake, severe liver disease, pregnancy
• Low Creatinine: (No specific causes listed, only implicitly mentioned)

Arterial Blood Gases (ABGs)

• pH: 7.35-7.45
• PaCO2: 35-45 mmHg
• HCO3: 22-28 mEq/L
• Lactate: Normal less than 2 mmol/L , greater than 4 mmol/L requires immediate intervention