Lab values & electrolytes worksheet with answers

Free printable Lab values & electrolytes worksheet: 8 problems from easy to exam level, with an answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF.

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Name: ____________________   Date: ____________

1.Easy

Which liver test is especially sensitive to heavy alcohol use?

  1. ASerum creatinine and BUN
  2. BSerum lipase (pancreatic enzyme)
  3. CCardiac troponin I or T
  4. DGamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)
2.Easy

What is a typical adult reference range for serum creatinine?

  1. AAbout 135–145 mg/dL
  2. BAbout 10–20 mg/dL
  3. CAbout 0.6–1.2 mg/dL
  4. DAbout 3.5–5.0 mg/dL
3.Easy

Where are urinary casts formed?

  1. AIn the kidney tubules
  2. BIn the urinary bladder
  3. CIn the urethra
  4. DIn the ureters
4.Medium

A patient taking empagliflozin (an SGLT2 inhibitor) has glucose in the urine but a normal blood glucose. What is the best interpretation?

  1. AA urinary tract infection
  2. BAn expected effect of the drug
  3. CUncontrolled diabetes needing insulin
  4. DA sign of kidney failure
5.Medium

A patient on phenytoin has a level of 28 mcg/mL (usual range about 10–20 mcg/mL). Which findings would the nurse expect?

  1. AHunger and weight gain
  2. BNystagmus, unsteady gait and slurred speech
  3. CTall, peaked T waves
  4. DHyperactive behavior and insomnia only
6.Medium

Why must a low total calcium be interpreted with care in a patient with a low serum albumin?

  1. ALow albumin makes every calcium test inaccurate and useless
  2. BLow albumin always causes true, symptomatic hypocalcemia
  3. CAlbumin and calcium are measured with the same chemical reaction, so they always fall together
  4. DMuch calcium is bound to albumin, so total calcium falls even if ionized calcium is normal
7.Hard

A patient with a heart murmur and fever has three sets of blood cultures, taken hours apart, all growing the same Streptococcus species. What does this suggest?

  1. APersistent bacteremia, as in infective endocarditis
  2. BContamination of all three samples during collection
  3. CA urinary tract infection that has spread to the skin
  4. DA normal finding in patients with heart murmurs
8.Hard

A patient on a stable dose of levothyroxine now has a TSH of 9.8 mIU/L. She recently started taking her calcium and iron supplements with her morning levothyroxine. What is the most likely explanation?

  1. AThe TSH is low, showing that the dose is now too high
  2. BThe supplements are reducing levothyroxine absorption
  3. CThe result is normal for a person on levothyroxine therapy
  4. DThe supplements are causing an overactive thyroid gland

Answer key

  1. 1. D · Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)
  2. 2. C · About 0.6–1.2 mg/dL
  3. 3. A · In the kidney tubules
  4. 4. B · An expected effect of the drug
  5. 5. B · Nystagmus, unsteady gait and slurred speech
  6. 6. D · Much calcium is bound to albumin, so total calcium falls even if ionized calcium is normal
  7. 7. A · Persistent bacteremia, as in infective endocarditis
  8. 8. B · The supplements are reducing levothyroxine absorption

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