Biochemistry Critical Ranges
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
GP Patient critical ranges
TEST | ADULT REFERENCE INTERVAL | FAX/EMAIL | FAX/EMAIL & PHONE | |
Sodium | 3511 | 135 – 145 mmol/L | <130 or >147 | <125 or >150 |
Potassium | 3512 | 3.5 – 5.2 mmol/L | <3.0 or >5.5 | <2.8 or >6.2 |
Urea | 3517 | 3.2 – 7.7 mmol/L | >30 (>10.0 up to age 18)
If not previously known. |
>45 even if previously known. |
Creatinine | 5422 | Male: 50 – 110 umol/L
Female: 45 – 90 umol/L |
>300 (>150 up to age 18)
- if not previously known. Fax if increase >50 in one week. |
>350 (or x3 baseline)
>200 up to age 18 Don’t phone if decreasing, or renal patient, or <200 higher than previously. |
Urate | 3520 | Male: 0.20 - 0.42 mmol/L
Female: 0.15 - 0.36 mmol/L |
>0.70 | Phone >0.36 in pregnancy. |
Calcium | 3521 | 2.2 – 2.6 mmol/L | <1.90 or >2.80 | <1.80 or >3.00 |
Phosphate | 3522 | Adult: 0.8 – 1.5 mmol/L | <0.60 or >1.80 | <0.5 or >3.0 |
Glucose | 3516 | Fasting: 3.5-6.0 mmol/L
Random: 3.5-7.7 mmol/L |
<3.0 | <2.8
>15.0 if new (>25.0 if known diabetic) |
Bilirubin | 3525 | Adult: 2 – 20 umol/L | >300 | All neonates (<1 month old) |
GGT | 3528 | Male: 10 – 50 IU/L
Female: 10 – 35 IU/L |
>2500 | |
Lipase | 10 – 70 IU/L | >80 | ||
ALP | 3527 | Adult: 30 –150 IU/L | >2500 | |
ALT | 3530 | Male: 0 – 40 IU/L
Female: 0 – 30 IU/L |
>2000 | >30 in pregnancy |
AST | 3529 | 10 – 50 IU/L | >2000 | >50 in pregnancy |
Total protein | 3523 | 64 – 83 g/L | <45 or >100 | |
Albumin | 3524 | 35 –50 g/L | <21 | |
CK | 4100 | Male: 60 – 220 IU/L
Female:30 - 180 IU/L |
>2000 | >5000 |
LD | 3135 | 110 – 220 IU/L | >400 | |
Digoxin | 3565 | 0.6 – 2.0 nmol/L | >2.0 if 12 h or later post dose | >3 at any time post dose |
Phenytoin | 4760 | 40 – 80 umol/L | >90 (trough) | >100 |
Carbamazepine | 4648 | 16 – 40 umol/L | >55 (trough) | >70 |
Valproate | 4810 | 350 - 700 umol/L | >800 (trough) | >1000 |
Theophylline | 4781 | 55 – 110 umol/L | >110 (trough) | >120 |
Lithium | 4716 | 0.4 – 0.8 mmol/L | >0.8 if >12hr post dose
>1.6 at any time |
>2.0 at any time |
CRP | 3206 | <5 mg/L | >100 | |
hs TnI | 8674 | Women <16 ng/L
Men <34 |
All results (should auto-fax) | Women >16
Men >34 |
HCG | 3552 | <5 IU/L | All results (should auto-fax) | |
Magnesium | 3532 | 0.6 – 1.2 mmol/L | <0.5 or >1.6 | <0.4 or >2.5 |
Iron | 3531 | 10 – 30 umol/L | All ?toxic ingestions | |
Triglyceride | 4151 | <1.7 mmol/L | >20 | |
Cortisol | 8621 | 170 – 540 nmol/L | <100 if taken before 10am and not dexamethasone suppression test | |
Prot/Creat ratio | 993 | <23 | >30 in pregnancy |
Hospital Patients critical ranges
TEST | LOWER LIMIT | UPPER LIMIT | |
Blood pH | 3501 | 7.00 | |
Sodium | 3511 | 120 | 155 |
Potassium | 3512 | 2.8 | 6.2 (unless haemolysed, or refrigerated in contact with red cells.) |
Chloride | 3513 | 80 | 125 |
Urea | 3517 | 40.0 if new. 45.0 if already known. | |
Creatinine | 5422 | 350 (or x3 baseline) if new | |
Glucose | 3516 | 2.8 adults/children | 35.0 |
Calcium | 3521 | 1.7 | 3.0 |
Magnesium | 3532 | 0.3 | 1.9 |
Phosphate | 3522 | 0.30 | 3.00 ( 4.00 for dialysis patients) |
Lactate | 5268 | 7.0 | |
hs TnI | 8674 | > 34 (men), >16 (women)
if Outpatient, GP patient, Napier, Waipukurau , or Wairoa | |
Cortisol | 8621 | <50, if not Dexamethasone test, contact Endocrinologist by phone | |
SBR | 3125 | 250 newborn (<1 day)
350 (>1 day) | |
Lithium | 4716 | >2.0 at any time | |
Digoxin | 3565 | 3.0 if more than 12hr post dose | |
HCO3 | 3504 | < 16 | |
Gentamicin | >1.5 Email in Delphic (HPHA) | ||
Vancomycin | <10 Email in Delphic (HPHA) | >25 Email in Delphic (HPHA) |
*Also known as Panic Ranges
Critical ranges reviewed September 2023