Outrageous lab results

joannep · Apr 9, 2002

I have seen one of around 3.0 on another witness, and she was a renal patient. But she seemed to function on it and refused EPO.

Ted · Apr 9, 2002

I had one patient whose H&H came back "incompatible with life". Actually, it was quite low!! (Don't remember the exact number, but the Hgb was in the single digits!!) The patient had microplasmic pneumonia which caused a cold agglutinin disorder (sorry, I don't remember the exact name of the diagnosis.) The patient received several units of warmed PRBC's that night. The head of the blood bank department for the hospital came to see this patient . . . in the middle of the night!. . . because it was such an unusual case. Interestingly, the patient was quite "wide-eyed and bushy tailed" when he could have been . . . well . . . dead. :eek:

He was finally discharged home. :)

Ted

susanmary · Apr 9, 2002

INR of over 21 (on admission.) Yikes.

misti_z · Apr 9, 2002

H&h 3/6

Creat 31

Potassium 9.1

Phos 15

Glucose 19 and >1000

I work renal. We see alot of craziness!!!! :eek:

SICU Queen · Apr 9, 2002

I had a patient admitted with an INR of 84 who had a pericardial sac LOADED with blood. His pressure was in the 60's. We intubated him and loaded him with FFP and Vitamin K trying to get him "thickened up" a little! Couldn't do the pericardiocentesis with him being that thin... I thought for SURE this man was going to die. His cardiac output must've been practically zero...

The CV surgeon did a bedside pericardiocentesis FINALLY when this patient just wasn't going to last any longer. It was amazing to watch his BP go up with every syringe full of blood that was withdrawn.

The patient walked out a few days later... with a NEW Coumadin dose.

CEN35 · Apr 9, 2002

this takes some thought, because i have seen so many weird things in the past.

the latest was a k+ of 8.6, that allegedly was the cause of bradycardia. which was resolved after, temporarily transcutaneous pacing, and 1 amp ca+cl-, 10 units of iv insulin, 1 amp of d50, and 60gms of kayexalate.

creatinine of 37

bun of 211

h&h of 2.1 & 6.3 she was an alcoholic with an esophogeal varices, who intitially recieved 4u prbc's, 2u ffp, and 3000cc of nss in less than 50 minutes to get her b/p to maintain a sbp >90.

inr of 43

platlets of 23,000

tropnin of 240 no that wasn't incorrect either :eek:

glucose of 7, and glucose of 1273. note the glucose of 1273, was an insulin dependant dm, who read some article about taking herbs and all natural stuff. allegedly, if he took this stuff daily, he wouldnt need his insulin anymore.....not! :eek: btw, his ph was 6.86 and he coded in icu 4 times. he did make it though, amazingly enough without any type of defecites.

na+ of 111, and 171.

etoh of .494!!!!! :eek:

that's all i can think of right now?

me :)

kewlnurse · Apr 9, 2002

Don't remember specifics but i remember a trop >300, cpk >8,000 (non surgical) k+>9, ASTaround 5,000! Platlettes 10,000 (they died) hg 3.0 gave the guy over 20 units of blood and 15 units of platletts (his Dr. was his biggest problem) Seen glucose >1000,

live4today, RN · Apr 9, 2002

Glucose level of over 500!!! :eek:

Patient immediately admitted to ICU.

Several days later, glucose level under control.

Family members brought patient a chocolate birthday cake with white icing and all the trimmings.

Walked in patient's room to find them all very overweight and chowing down on birthday cake...including the patient! :eek:

When will those darn noncompliant diabetics ever learn. :confused:

kaycee · Apr 9, 2002

ETOH 600 and still breathing. Big time alcoholic. Also Valium on board. Was intubated to protect his airway.

Walked out 2 days later probably to have another case of beer. :rolleyes:

babynursewannab · Apr 9, 2002

hbA1c= 21! glu=1750! wacky but ambulatory!!!! :eek:

dx diab upon admit --- woulda thunk he'd felt crummy enough to find out sooner! :rolleyes:

micro, RN · Apr 9, 2002

glucose 876.......person walking talking and "just fine".........

K+ 7.9................pt. a & o

ammonia off the charts............clinical sx to match however ;-(

could claim to remember others.......but memory fails, I am elderly you know.....