Critical Values
Critical values are those results that indicate a high risk of morbidity or mortality in the absence of rapid intervention to treat the abnormal value or its underlying cause. The laboratory will immediately notify the physician, or other clinical personnel responsible for patient care, when the following test results fall within critical ranges. Critical Laboratory results are always reported by telephone.
|
Test Name
|
Units
|
Call Values
|
| Any Referral Lab Test | All critical values reported to us from our reference labs, including ARUP. | |
| Acetaminophen | μg/mL | >140.0 |
| Amikacin trough peak random |
μg/mL μg/mL μg/mL |
≥10.1 ≥35.1 ≥35.1 |
| Bilirubin, Neonatal | mg/dL | ≥12.0 |
| Blasts | % | First time any are present each patient encounter |
| Blood Cultures | All positive | |
| Blood Gases apH apCO2 apO2 |
mm Hg mm Hg |
≤7.20; ≥7.60 ≤20; ≥60 ≤50 |
| Calcium | mg/dL | ≤6.5; ≥13.0 |
| Calcium Ionized | mmol/L | ≤0.75; ≥1.50 |
| Carbamazepine (Tegretol®) | μg/mL | ≥12.1 |
| Carbon Dioxide (CO2) | mEq/L | ≤14; ≥41 |
| Carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) | % | All |
| Cell Count, Spinal Fluid | WBC/mm3 | >50 (in absence of bloody tap); Abnormal cells present (blasts, lymphoma, carcinoma, etc); organism present |
| Chloride (CI) | mEq/L | ≤75; ≥121 |
| Cord Blood Direct Antiglobulin | Positive | |
| CSF Cultures | All positive | |
| Cyclosporine | ng/mL | ≥800 |
| Digoxin | ng/mL | ≥3.0 |
| Fetal Fibronectin | All | |
| Fibrinogen | mg/dL | ≤ 100 |
| Free Phenytoin | μg/mL | ≥3.0 |
| Free T4 | ng/dL | ≥5.1 |
| FTA | All reactives on mothers and newborns | |
| Gentamicin trough peak random |
μg/mL μg/mL μg/mL |
≥2.1 ≥12.1 >12.1 |
| Glucose, Spinal Fluid | mg/dL | <40; ≥250 |
| Glucose, Newborn | mg/dL | ≤30; ≥250 |
| Glucose, Adult | mg/dL | ≤50; >400 |
| Hemoglobin (Hgb) | g/dL | ≤7.0 |
| Lactic Acid | mmol/L | ≥3.5 |
| Lidocaine | μg/mL | ≥9.0 |
| Lithium (Li) | mEq/L | ≥1.51 |
| Magnesium (Mg) | mg/dL | ≤1.0; ≥4.5 |
| Methemoglobin (MetHb) | % | All |
| Osmolality | mOsm/kg | ≤250; ≥320 |
| Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT) | seconds | ≥100 |
| Phenobarbital | μg/mL | >60 |
| Phenytoin (Dilantin®) | μ/mL | >40.0 |
| Phosphorus | mg/dL | ≤0.9; ≥9.0 |
| Platelet Count (PLT) | K/μL | ≤20; or ≥800 |
| Potassium (K) | mEq/L | ≤3.0; ≥6.0 |
| INR | ≥5.0 | |
| PTH IO | pg/mL | All |
| Quantitative HCG | mIU/mL | OR only |
| RPR - Heelstick | All reactive | |
| Salicylate | mg/dL | >30.0 |
| Sodium (Na) | mEq/L | ≤120; ≥160 |
| T4 | μg/dL | ≥20 |
| Theophylline | μg/mL | ≥20 |
| Tobramycin trough peak random |
μg/mL μg/mL μg/mL |
>2.00 ≥12.00 ≥12.00 |
| Troponin | ng/mL | ≥1.50 |
| Urinalysis (glucose & ketones are both positive) |
≥1+ | |
| Valproic Acid (Depakene®) | μg/mL | ≥150.0 |
| Vancomycin trough peak random |
μg/mL μg/mL μg/mL |
>20.0 ≥80.0 ≥80.0 |
| White Blood Count (WBC) | K/μL | ≤1.0; ≥40.0 |
Notification List
Outpatient results will be called to the ordering provider between the hours of 8am to 5pm. Outside of these hours, results will be called the next day.
| TESTS | NOTIFICATION VALUES |
| Ammonia | >90 μmol/L |
| Antithrombin III (AT3) | <35% |
| CK | ≥5000 units/L |
| Clinitest | All positive results |
| CMV Antigenemia | All positive |
| EBV by PCR | All positive results on CSF Specimens |
| Heparin Antibody | All positive |
| Hepatitis A Antibody IgM | All positive |
| Hepatitis B Surface Antigen | Final results reactive (Call nursing unit and inpatient dialysis) |
| HSV by PCR | All positive results on CSF Specimens |
| Lactic Acid, Spinal Fluid | All |
| Lipase | ≥1000 Units/L |
| Protein, Spinal Fluid | ≥200 mg/dL |
| Protein, Total | ≤3.9 g/dL; ≥10.1 g/dL |
| Triglycerides | ≥800 mg/dL |
| Uric Acid | ≥15 mg/dL |
| VDRL | All reactive results |
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