Reference ranges for blood tests: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:09, 17 April 2025

Revision as of 13:12, 17 April 2025

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===Arterial or venous===

If not otherwise specified, a reference range for a blood test is generally the [[vein|venous]] range, as the standard process of obtaining a sample is by [[venipuncture]]. An exception is for acid–base and [[blood gas]]es, which are generally given for arterial blood.<ref>{{citationcite book needed|dateurl=July 2020https://pathology.vcu.edu/media/pathology/catalog/LAB.GEN.0022CPathologyBloodGasTestingandWholeBloodChemistryRefIntervalsCritValues05.17.2024.pdf}}</ref>

Still, the blood values are approximately equal between the arterial and venous sides for most substances, with the exception of acid–base, blood gases and drugs (used in [[therapeutic drug monitoring]] (TDM) assays).<ref name=Dufour>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3230/is_4_32/ai_61893437/ "Arterial versus venous reference ranges"], ''Medical Laboratory Observer'', April, 2000 by D. Robert Dufour</ref> Arterial levels for drugs are generally higher than venous levels because of extraction while passing through tissues.<ref name=Dufour/>