Critical & Sensitive Values
The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act of 1988 (CLIA) mandates that each laboratory establish critical values for selected tests. The regulations state,"the laboratory must develop and follow written procedures for reporting imminent life-threatening laboratory results, and immediately alert the physician, hospital or laboratory that ordered the test.”
Definitions: Critical levels vary from expected values enough to represent a life threatening pathophysiologic state requiring immediate medical attention. Critical results will be called immediately following the completion of the assay.
If specimen integrity is in question, critical results are called and a new specimen should be collected immediately.
Assay |
Critical Value |
Expected time to
|
|
Acetaminophen, serum Bilirubin, pediatric Blood culture Blood gas, pCO2 Blood gas, pH Blood gas, pO2 BUN Calcium, ionized Calcium, total, serum Carbamazepine CO2 (Bicarbonate), serum Creatinine, serum CSF culture or stain Digoxin Glucose, serum Hematocrit Hemoglobin, blood Lactate Magnesium (Non OB) Phenobarbital Phenytoin Platelet Count Potassium Prothrombin time (INR) PTT (APTT, activated partial thromboplastin time) Salicylate Sodium, serum Synovial fluid culture or stain Theophylline Troponin T Valproic acid Vancomycin, peak Vancomycin, trough WBC, blood |
>30.0 mcg/mL >20.0 mg/dL Positive <25 or >50 mmHG <7.21 or >7.59 <50 mmHG >100 mg/dL <0.76 or >1.61 <6.0 or >12.9 mg/dL >20 <11 or >40 mmol/L >5.0 mg/dL Positive >2.0 ng/mL <40 or >450 mg/dL <25.1 or >75.0 <8.1 gm/dL >36 mg/dL <1.0 or >3.9 >60 mcg/mL >30 mcg/mL <50 or >900 <3.2 or >5.8 mmol/L >5.5 INR >140 seconds >30 mg/dL <120 or >160 mmol/L Positive >30 mcg/mL >0.03 ng/mL >150 mcg/mL >80 mcg/mL >20 mcg/mL <1.0 or >50.0 K/cumm |
60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes |
CRITICAL VALUES FOR DIALYSIS
The Critical Value list above also applies to dialysis patients.
Assay |
Critical Value |
Expected time to
|
|
BUN Calcium CO2 Creatinine Potassium Sodium Phosphorous |
>100.0 mg/dL <7.0 or > 12.0 mg/dL <15 or >40 mmol/l >15 mg/dl <3.0 or >6.0 mmol/l <125 or >155 mmol/l <2.4 or > 7.5 mg/dl |
60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes 60 minutes |
Home | About | Services | Tests | Employment | Supplies | Resources | Contact
© 2008-2013 Pathologists' Regional Laboratory | Lewiston ID. All Rights Reserved.
Website Design by Zipline Interactive
Corporate Address: 415 6th St., Lewiston, ID 83501
Phone: 208-746-0516 | Fax: 208-746-4989