LMP299Y1 Lecture Notes - Urine Test Strip, Blood Sugar, Hyperlipidemia
12 Apr 2013
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Document Summary
A blood specimen was taken from a 55-year old woman to check her serum potassium. The patient is on diuretics to control her hypertension but she is otherwise feeling well and the check-up did not reveal any problems. The result came back 35mmol/l. (normal is 3. 5 5. 0) Because there could have been a range of lab testing errors that could have occurred. Methods ( or assays) for chemicals analysis may affect the final result. The appropriate choice is determined by the laboratory professionals. For example: sodium can be measured by flame photometry, electrodes or colorimetrically. Some methods measure sodium concentration and others sodium ion activity which depends on sodium in solution and therefore water content. Ideal methods: need little or no sample, the sample must be easily obtained, give results instantly, cost nothing to do, accurate, precise, free from interference, appropriate range for measurement, sensitive for low concentrations. The methods in the clinical laboratory have some uncertainty in them.
