Deck 17: Interpreting Clinical and Laboratory Data

Question 1

What term is used to describe a red blood cell (RBC) count that is above normal values?

A) Leukocytosis
B) Leukopenia
C) Anemia
D) Polycythemia

Answer 1

D
Explanation: An abnormally elevated RBC count is known as polycythemia.

Question 2

What is the name used for immature neutrophils?

A) Segs
B) Bands
C) Polys
D) Neutros

Answer 2

B
Explanation: Immature neutrophils are known as bands due to the banded shape of the nucleus.

Question 3

What test is useful for evaluating the blood-clotting ability of your patient?

A) Red blood cell count
B) Platelet count
C) Neutrophil count
D) Hematocrit

Answer 3

B
Explanation: The complete blood cell count also reports the number of circulating platelets (thrombocytes), which are the smallest formed elements in the blood and are important for coagulation.

Question 4

What term is used to describe a result significantly outside the reference range that may represent a pathophysiologic condition?

A) Reference range
B) Biological reference intervals
C) Expected value
D) Critical test value

Question 5

The total carbon dioxide (CO₂) value is linked to what electrolyte in the blood serum?

A) Sodium
B) Potassium
C) Bicarbonate
D) Chloride

Question 6

What term is used to describe a red blood cell (RBC) count that is below normal values?

A) Leukocytosis
B) Leukopenia
C) Anemia
D) Polycythemia

Question 7

The mean cell hemoglobin concentration of your patient is reduced. What type of anemia is this?

A) Microcytic
B) Macrocytic
C) Hypochromic
D) Hypotrophic

Question 8

The sweat chloride level is used to diagnose which of the following disorders?

A) Asthma
B) Cystic fibrosis
C) Hyperthyroidism
D) Hepatitis

Question 9

What term is used to describe a potassium concentration that is below normal in the blood serum?

A) Hypokalemia
B) Hyponatremia
C) Hypocalcemia
D) Hypochloremia

Question 10

What term is used to describe a white blood cell (WBC) count that is below normal values?

A) Anemia
B) Thrombocytopenia
C) Leukopenia
D) Hypoleukemia

Question 11

Which of the following are causes of leukopenia?
1) Chemotherapy
2) Bone marrow disease
3) Radiation therapy
4) Antibiotics

A)1 and 4 only
B)1, 2, and 3 only
C)2 and 3 only
D)1, 2, and 4 only

Question 12

What abnormality in the complete blood count is often seen in a patient with significant hypoxemia caused by chronic lung disease?

A) Leukocytosis
B) Anemia
C) Polycythemia
D) Leukopenia

Question 13

Which of the following values represents a normal serum potassium level?

A) 137 to 147 mEq/L
B) 98 to 105 mEq/L
C) 7 to 20 mEq/L
D) 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L

Question 14

What term is used to describe a sodium concentration that is below normal in the blood serum?

A) Hypokalemia
B) Hyponatremia
C) Hypocalcemia
D) Hypochloremia

Question 15

In which of the following clinical settings would hypokalemia be a significant problem?

A) During weaning from mechanical ventilation
B) In a patient with pleural effusion
C) In a patient with kyphoscoliosis
D) During a bronchial challenge test

Question 16

What type of white blood cell increases in response to viral infections?

A) Neutrophils
B) Eosinophils
C) Lymphocytes
D) Monocytes

Question 17

What term is used to describe a platelet count below normal?

A) Anemia
B) Leukopenia
C) Thrombocytopenia
D) Thrombocytosis

Question 18

Which of the following are formed elements in the blood?
1) Leukocytes
2) Erythrocytes
3) Thrombocytes
4) Electrolytes

A)1 and 2 only
B)1, 2, and 3 only
C)2, 3, and 4 only
D)1, 2, and 4 only

Question 19

What type of white blood cell increases in response to allergic reactions?

A) Neutrophils
B) Eosinophils
C) Lymphocytes
D) Monocytes

Question 20

What term is used to describe a white blood cell (WBC) count that is above normal values?

A) Leukocytosis
B) Leukopenia
C) Neutropenia
D) Polycythemia

Question 21

Your patient has an elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST). What two organs are most likely diseased?

A) Heart and brain
B) Liver and kidney
C) Brain and kidney
D) Heart and liver

Question 22

What is the normal anion gap?

A) 5 to 10 mEq/L
B) 8 to 14 mEq/L
C) 25 to 32 mEq/L
D) 35 to 45 mEq/L

Question 23

A patient is brought into the ER with chest pain. The physician is having difficulty confirming the patient's diagnosis through an ECG. Blood results show an elevated level of CPK-2. What can the physician suspect after reviewing the blood work?

A) Pulmonary embolism
B) Gastroesophageal reflux
C) Myocardial infarction
D) Valvular stenosis

Question 24

Lactic acidosis is present.

A) 1, 2, and 4 only
B) 1 only
C) 2 and 4 only
D) 2, 3, and 4 only

Question 25

Which of the following values represents a normal serum lactate level?

A) 0.7 to 2.1 mEq/L
B) 1.2 to 2.3 mEq/L
C) 1.7 to 2.1 mEq/L
D) 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L

Question 26

What is the upper limit of normal for the fasting blood glucose level?

A) 50 mg/dl
B) 85 mg/dl
C) 120 mg/dl
D) 140 mg/dl

Question 27

Which of the following tests is used to evaluate renal function?

A) Creatinine
B) Protein level
C) Serum enzymes
D) Sweat chloride

Question 28

Which of the following values represents a normal serum sodium level?

A) 136 to 145 mEq/L
B) 98 to 105 mEq/L
C) 7 to 20 mEq/L
D) 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L

Question 29

A patient receiving heparin has a prothrombin time (PT) of 19 sec and an International Standardized Ratio (INR) of approximately 5.0, what does this indicate?

A) High likelihood of excessive bleeding.
B) Patient's results are normal.
C) High likelihood of increased clotting.
D) Possible embolism.

Question 30

An ICU patient in septic shock shows the following electrolyte panel results: a serum Na⁺ of 150 mmol/L, a total CO₂ of 18 mmol/L, lactate of 4 mmol/L, and a serum Cl^- level of 110 mmol/L. The patient is hypotensive and the RT is unable to obtain an ABG for analysis. What conclusion(s) can be drawn regarding this patient's acid-base status?
1. The anion gap is decreased.
2. Metabolic acidosis is present.
3. Anion gap is increased.

Question 31

An 80-year-old patient arrives in the emergency room complaining of difficulty breathing with signs of pulmonary edema. The clinician orders a B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) test to be performed on the patient. The test result shows 800 pg/ml. What is the patient's possible condition?

A) Severe heart failure
B) Respiratory distress syndrome
C) Severe sepsis
D) Mild heart failure

Question 32

What is indicated by an elevation of the anion gap?

A) Respiratory failure
B) Metabolic alkalosis
C) Metabolic acidosis
D) Renal failure

Question 33

Which of the following values represents a normal serum chloride level?

A) 136 to 145 mEq/L
B) 98 to 106 mEq/L
C) 7 to 20 mEq/L
D) 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L

Question 34

What is the name used for mature neutrophils?

A) Segs
B) Bands
C) Polys
D) Neutros

Question 35

What should be done in response to a sputum sample that has many epithelial cells in it?

A) Repeat Gram stain.
B) Sputum culture.
C) Sputum sensitivity.
D) Obtain new sputum sample.

Question 36

An RT receives a doctor's order to perform an ABG on a 71-year-old woman. Upon reviewing the patient's chart, the RT notices that the patient has a platelet count of 110 $\times$ 10³ mcl. What should the RT do?
1) Perform ABG as normal.
2) Refuse to perform the ABG.
3) After ABG is performed, compress the puncture site for a longer time.
4) Recommend that an ABG should be performed on the patient only when it is absolutely necessary.

A)2 and 4 only
B)1 only
C)3 and 4 only
D)2 only

Question 37

Which of the following Gram stain results suggests the most legitimate sputum sample in a patient with pneumonia?

A) Many epithelial cells and many pus cells
B) Few pus cells and many epithelial cells
C) Few pus cells and few epithelial cells
D) Few epithelial cells and many pus cells

Question 38

What term is used to describe a chloride concentration that is below normal in the blood serum?

A) Hypokalemia
B) Hyponatremia
C) Hypocalcemia
D) Hypochloremia