Basics
- Taken in Serum (Gold top) bottle or Lithium heparin (green top)
- Needs 5 ml and results wihtin 1 hour usually
The U&E comprises the following tests
- Sodium 135-145 mmol/L ( mEq/L)
- High: Hypernatraemia
- Low: Hyponatraemia
- Potassium 3.5-5 mmol/L ( mEq/L)
- High: Hyperkalaemia
- Low: Hypokalaemia
- Urea ( 7-20 mg/dL or 2.5 - 7.0 mmol/L)
- High: Renal failure, GI bleed
- Low: Liver disease
- Creatinine (0.5-1.2 mg/dL or 50-120 umol/L )
- Factors: varies with age, muscle mass and surface area
- High: Acute or Chronic Renal failure
- Low: Low skeletal mass
- Chloride: 98-108 mmol/L
- Bicarbonate: 22-30 mmol/L
- High: alkalosis
- Low : acidosis