| name: | Blood Chemistry |
| also known as: | Blood Test; SMA; SMA-6; SMA-7; SMA-12; SMA-20; Serum Electrolytes; Liver Function Test; LFT; Lipid Studies; Blood Tests; Sodium; Potassium; Chloride; Bicarbonate; Glucose; Urea Nitrogen; BUN; Creatinine; Phosphatase; Total Bilirubin; Direct Bilirubin; Iron; Cholesterol; Triglycerides; Magnesium; Protein; Albumin; Globulin; Liver Enzymes |
| also see: | Blood Count; Abnormal Liver Function Test; ICD; CPT |
| description: | Unfortunately, there is not uniformity in what is considered a blood chemistry test, or what they should be called. Blood chemistry helps the doctor diagnose and treat many medical problems, illnesses and diseases. The standard blood chemistry is called an SMA-6 which includes sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, glucose, and urea nitrogen (Na, K, Cl, HCO3, glucose, BUN). A SMA-7 adds creatinine (Cr) which helps to evaluate kidney function. A SMA-12 adds cholesterol, phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), which helps to evaluate liver function. A SMA-20 adds protein, albumin, bilirubin, calcium, uric acid and several others, such as amylase. Liver function test also called LFT in and of itself includes bilirubin, both direct and indirect, as well as albumin, total protein, alkaline phosphatase, ALT, AST, and PT, which is further discussed under abnormal liver function test. |
| signs & symptoms: | Signs of abnormal blood chemistry are numerous as well as the causes of abnormal blood chemistry, some of which can be found under the following subjects: diabetes, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, sodium imbalance, potassium imbalance, calcium imbalance, acute renal failure, chronic renal failure, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, malabsorption, gout, and so on. |
| diagnosis: | Normal ranges of some of the more common blood chemistry levels include: sodium 135-145 potassium 3.5-5.0 chloride 98-106 bicarbonate 18-23 glucose 70-110 urea nitrogen 7-18 creatinine 0.6-1.2 phosphatase 50-160 total bilirubin 1.0 direct bilirubin 0.4 iron 60-160 cholesterol <225 triglycerides 40-200 magnesium 1-5-2.0 protein 6.0-8.4 albumin 3-5-5.0 globulin 2.3-3.5 Note: mg% and mg/100ml is the same thing. |
| treatment: | The treatment of abnormalities of blood chemistry vary depending upon the underlying cause. Specific abnormalities might help the doctor pinpoint the problem and make a diagnosis. |
| outcome: | Varies depending upon the underlying cause. |
Last updated 2/3/2010