Questions: Prednisone, AST & ALT labs

nrcolee6 · Aug 23, 2009

I'm with you, interesting that from different books there are different values. From what I know AST & ALT are 8-20. But I have also seen different but as for me I'm going with that because I've seen it more often than not. I actually have a question...what about calcium? I've seen 9.0-10.5 (in Kaplan and nursing school books) but also recently saw 4.5-5.2 someplace else?

I'm testing on Sept 2 too! How's your studying going? You did great on QT6! I'm planning on doing QT7 tomorrow. And spend the week doing questions and going over my notes and things I need to refresh myself on and then Tuesday before the exam I'm going to try and relax...hopefully haha!

in.the.middle · Aug 23, 2009

nrcolee6: I have Calcium as 8.6 - 10.0, from Saunders.

niculove · Aug 23, 2009

Thank you nrcolee6 and in.the.middle! Nrcolee6: I think the other value is for ionized calcium (don't quote me on that...just a guess). I'm going to go with 8-20 for ALT AST. That's my final answer...hehe.

As for my studying it's going well. I'm really bad at the SATA, so I'll probably try to work on that as well. I'm also going to take QT #7 tomorrow (i'll let you know how it goes), and then I think on Thursday I'll take the Readiness test. I can't believe how quickly this test is coming up. I have moments where I feel like "i got this" and then at other times I'm like "oh I need another month!". I just want it done with already!!!!!

Good luck and keep me posted on your study progress! :up:

BTW - what time do you test on the 2nd? I test at 8am! :yeah:

TessaMae · Aug 23, 2009

Both are correct, there is total calcium and ionized calcium.

normal total calcium is 9-10.5 mg/dL and a normal ionized calcium is 4.5-5.5 mg/dL

We used total calcium in school for the most part but the normal total calcium levels vary with serum albumin levels so you would look at the ionized calcium in a case where the albumin level is not WNL because ionized calcium does not vary with albumin levels. Hope that makes sense, sorry if I just confused you!

btw, My books all say 5-40 for ALT/AST, with ranges slightly different for men vs women and those with liver issues.

On another note, I offer this tid bit of advice to you, make sure you know the unit of measure you are dealing with for each value.

If you look on a normal range chart you will see for example calcium levels are measured in more than one unit of measure (9-10.5 mg/dL=4.5-5.5 mEq/L=2.2-2.6 mmol/L all of these are correct)

All numbers are listed on the chart but most commonly, people use the mg/dL.

Good luck!!!

quote=in.the.middle;3821315]nrcolee6: I have Calcium as 8.6 - 10.0, from Saunders.

niculove · Aug 23, 2009

Thank you TessaMae. I decided to look the AST lab up in my lab test and diagnostic procedure book from school and I "think" I might have figured out why I had both values written down. In my book it states that AST can range from 8-20 U/L or 10-40 Karmen U/mL. So I think you are right...I need to look at the unit of measure. Thank you for that - I feel stupid that I didn't think of that.

Hopefully this will help others too...

Now, if we can just figure out the Prednisone question - anyone?

Thanks again!!!!!

TessaMae · Aug 23, 2009

OMG, sorry I forgot about your actual question. Prednisone when taken longer than 7 days, suppresses the adrenals and has to be gradually stopped if taken for longer than that. So I guess, if you look at it this way less than a week would be considered short-term. I would be hesitant to say that longer than a week is long-term though because someone who takes prednisone for two weeks obviously would not have the same issues as someone that has taken it for two years...I have not ever heard of someone taking prednisone for less than a week but I'm sure it happens! Hope this helped

BTW, I HATE conversions, my weakness is the metric system...so I think I am more aware of the units because I forced myself to drill the stuff into my brain!

Thank you TessaMae. I decided to look the AST lab up in my lab test and diagnostic procedure book from school and I "think" I might have figured out why I had both values written down. In my book it states that AST can range from 8-20 U/L or 10-40 Karmen U/mL. So I think you are right...I need to look at the unit of measure. Thank you for that - I feel stupid that I didn't think of that.
Hopefully this will help others too...
Now, if we can just figure out the Prednisone question - anyone?
Thanks again!!!!!

nrcolee6 · Aug 23, 2009

Thank you nrcolee6 and in.the.middle! Nrcolee6: I think the other value is for ionized calcium (don't quote me on that...just a guess). I'm going to go with 8-20 for ALT AST. That's my final answer...hehe.
As for my studying it's going well. I'm really bad at the SATA, so I'll probably try to work on that as well. I'm also going to take QT #7 tomorrow (i'll let you know how it goes), and then I think on Thursday I'll take the Readiness test. I can't believe how quickly this test is coming up. I have moments where I feel like "i got this" and then at other times I'm like "oh I need another month!". I just want it done with already!!!!!
Good luck and keep me posted on your study progress!
BTW - what time do you test on the 2nd? I test at 8am!

I totally feel ya about varying emotions. somedays im like ok I'm ready and feel confident and then others where I'm like omg I need to study study study. But then I'm like I've done everything I've wanted to study you know. Ah. I test at 8am to and live in Washington! I'll be praying for ya! We can and will do it!