Question

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1. When do you order a Clozapine level?
2. When the ALT, AST, and GGTP are elevated? What would your list of differentials include?
3. List the causes of elevated and low albumin level and how would out of normal range albumin influence your prescribing?
4. You suspect that your patient may be drinking alcohol to excess. What lab values would you order and why?
5. How would dehydration influence your interpretation of labs?
6. What lab values are assessed for possible pancreatitis? What psychiatric medications are associated with pancreatitis?
7. What test is ordered to determine if a patient is pregnant? When is it important to order this test?
8. What is an expected range for the serum potassium in a patient newly diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa, restricting type?
9. Your patient’s labs returns with an elevated creatinine phosphokinase. What action would you take ? What might be the etiology of this elevation?

Answer 1

Clozapine is a antipsychotic drug. clozapine level is ordered 12 hours after last dose and drug was taken for several days

these are liver enzymes. These are elevated in case of acute liver injury. Differentials include viral hepatitis, ischemic hepatitis and other autoimmune hepatitis

Albumin level range 3.5- 5.4 gm/ dl . elevated albumin level is found in acute infections, burns and in stress after heart attack whereas low albumin level in inllammation, malnutrition and shock. In elevated levels, physician generally prescribes angiotension converting enzyme inhibitors to promote urine and intravenous albumin solution administration in low albumin .

alcohol drinking damages liver therefore lab value of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase should be monitored.