Lab Values

Knowing these lab values and knowing what they mean will help you tremendously in your rotations and beyond.

VITALS

1. Respiratory rate (Adult) — 12 – 20 breaths/min
2. Heart Rate (Adult) — 60 – 80 bpm
3. BP — 120/80  (Normal). 140/90 (Hypertension)
4. T — 98.6 F
5. BMI — 18.5 – 24.9 normal. 25 – 29.9 overweight. >30 obese. <18.4 underweight.

COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT

1. RBC — Females: 3.5 – 5.5 million/mm3. Males: 4.3-5.9 million/mm3.
2. WBC – 4500 – 11,000/mm3
3. Hb — Females: 12 -16g/dL. Males: 13.5 – 17.5 g/dL.
4. Hct — Females: 36 – 46%. Males: 41 – 53%.
5. MCV — 80 – 100 um3
6. MCH — 25.4 – 34.6 pg/cell
7. MCHC — 31 – 36%
8. Platelet — 150,000 – 400,000/mm3
9. Reticulocyte count – 0.5 – 1.5%

WBC DIFFERENTIAL

1. Segmented Neutrophils – 54 – 62%
2. Band Neutrophils – 3 – 5%
3. Eosinophils — 1 – 3%
4. Lymphocytes — 25 – 33%
5. Monocytes — 3 – 7%

BASIC METABOLIC PANEL

1. Na – 135 – 147 meq/L
2. K — 3.5 – 5.0 meq/L
3. Cl — 95 – 105 meq/L
4. Bicarbonate – 22 – 28 meq/L
5. BUN – 7 – 18 mg/dl
6. Creatinine — 0.6 – 1.2 mg/dL
7. Glucose — Fasting: 70 – 110 mg/dL. 2-hr Postprandial: <120
8. Calcium — 8.4 – 10.2 mmol/L

BLOOD GASES

1. PaO2 — 75 – 105 mmHg
2. PaCO2 — 33 – 45 mmHg
3. pH — 7.35 – 7.45

LIVER FUNCTION TEST

1. Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) – 8 – 20 U/L
2. Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) – 8 – 20 U/L
3. Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) — 45 – 90 U/L
4. Bilirubin Total/Direct — 0.1 – 1 / 0.0 – 0.3 mg/dL
5. Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) – 20 – 70 U/L

PANCREATIC ENZYMES

1. Amylase – 25 – 125 U/L
2. Lipase – <95 U/L

OTHERS

1. Prothrombin Time (PT) — 11 – 15 seconds
2. Triglyceride — 35 – 160 mg/dL

FORMULAS TO KNOW

1. Correction Calcium Levels
2. Winter’s Formula
3. Light Criteria
4. Anion Gap — 8-16 normal.

RELATIONSHIPS TO KNOW

1. BUN/Cr > 20 means its pre-renal AKI

FISHBONE DIAGRAMS

Learn how to write your lab values like this: