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OVERVIEW OF LABORATORY DATA

GLOSSARY

| Course 902 | Post Test |

Arrhythmias - an irregularity in the force or rhythm of the heartbeat.

Azotemia - A toxic condition resulting from kidney disease in which there is retention in the bloodstream of waste products normally excreted in the urine. Also called uremia.

Basophils - A tissue that stains readily with basic dyes.

Bilirubin - the orange-yellow pigment in bile, causing jaundice if it builds up in the blood and skin; the levels of bilirubin in the blood are used to diagnose liver disease

Cation - An ion or group of ions having a positive charge and characteristically moving toward the negative electrode in electrolysis.

Cocci - bacteria having a spherical or spheroidal shape

Creatinine - a waste product that is filtered from the blood by the kidneys and expelled in urine

Eosinophils - a granulocytic, bilobed leukocyte somewhat larger than a neutrophil characterized by large numbers of coarse, refractile, cytoplasmic granules that stain with the acid dye, eosin. Eosinophils constitute 1% to 3% of the white blood cells of the body. They increase in number with allergy and some parasitic infections and decrease with steroid administration.

Glomerular - of or pertaining to glomerulus, especially a renal glomerulus.

Glomerulonephritis - inflammation of the filtering structures in the kidneys, hindering removal of waste products from the blood

Hematocrit - The percentage by volume of packed red blood cells in a given sample of blood after centrifugation.

Hypercalcemia - a condition marked by abnormally high levels of calcium in the blood; can lead to disturbance of cell function in the nerves and muscles and, if not treated, can be fatal

Hyperchloremia - an excessive level of chloride in the blood.

Hyperglycemia - a condition characterized by abnormally high levels of glucose in the blood, usually as a result of untreated or improperly controlled diabetes mellitus.

Hyperkalemic - greater than normal amounts of potassium in the blood. This condition is seen frequently in acute renal failure. Early signs are nausea, diarrhea, and muscle weakness. As potassium levels increase, marked cardiac changes are observed in the ECG. Treatment of
severe hyperkalemia includes the intravenous administration of sodium bicarbonate, calcium salts, and dextrose. Hemodialysis is used if these measures fail.

Hypernatremia - a greater than normal concentration of sodium in the blood, caused by excessive loss of water and electrolytes resulting from polyuria, diarrhea, excessive sweating, or inadequate water intake. When water loss is caused by kidney dysfunction, urine is profuse and dilute. Care must be taken to restore water balance slowly, because further electrolyte imbalances may occur.

Hypocalcemia - a deficiency of calcium in the serum that may be caused by hypoparathyroidism, vitamin D deficiency, kidney failure, acute pancreatitis, or inadequate plasma magnesium and protein.

Hypochloremia - a decrease in the chloride level in the blood serum, below 95 mEq/L. The condition may occur as a result of prolonged gastric suctioning.

Hypoglycemia - abnormally low levels of glucose in the blood

Hypokalemia - a condition in which an inadequate amount of potassium, the major intracellular cation, is found in the circulating bloodstream. Hypokalemia is characterized by abnormal ECG, weakness, and flaccid paralysis and may be caused by starvation, treatment of diabetic acidosis, adrenal tumor, or diuretic therapy.

Hyponatremia - a less than normal concentration of sodium in the blood, caused by inadequate excretion of water or by excessive water in the circulating bloodstream. In a severe case, the person may develop water intoxication, with confusion and lethargy, leading to muscle excitability, convulsions, and coma. Fluid and electrolyte balance may be restored by intravenous infusion of balanced solution.

Ketoacidosis - the dangerous accumulation of chemicals called ketones in the blood, sometimes occurring as a complication of diabetes mellitus; also called ketosis

Lymphocytes - a white blood cell that is an important part of the body's immune system, helping to destroy invading microorganisms

Monocytes - a large mononuclear leukocyte, 13 to 25 [grk m] m in diameter with an ovoid or kidney shaped nucleus, containing chromatin material with a lacy patter and abundant gray blue cytoplasm filled with fine, reddish and azurophilic granules.

Neutrophils - a ploymorphonuclear, granular leukocyte that stains easily with neutral dyes. The nucleus stains dark blue and contains three to five lobes connected by slender threads of cromatin. The cytoplasm contains fine, inconspicuous granules. Nutreophils are the circulating
white blood cells essential for phagocytosis and proteolysis which bacteria, cellular debris, and solid particles are removed and destroyed.

Oliguria - a diminished capacity to form and pass urine, less than 500 ml in every 24 hours, so that the end products of metabolism cannot be excreted efficiently. It is usually caused by imbalances in bodily fluids and electrolytes, by renal lesions, or by urinary tract obstruction.

Osteomalacia - the loss of minerals and softening of bones because of a lack of vitamin D; called rickets in children

Pericarditis - inflammation of the membranous sac that covers the heart, causing chest pain and fever

Polycythemia - an increased amount of red blood cells in the blood

Reticuloendothelial - Of, relating to, or being the widely diffused bodily system constituting all phagocytic cells except certain white blood cells.

| Course 902 | Post Test |

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