Emergency medicine clinics of North America
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Feb 1986
ReviewCoagulation studies: prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, bleeding time.
Three coagulation tests available in the emergency department are described in this article. Methods, results, and implications in the bleeding patient are reviewed.
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Although the clinical manifestations of an abnormal serum sodium concentration are uncommon, imbalances in sodium and water occur frequently. The major indications for the determination of the serum sodium are those situations in which the signs and symptoms of hyponatremia or hypernatremia are likely. ⋯ Laboratory tests should primarily be used to confirm clinical suspicions. The majority of disorders in which imbalances in sodium and water occur can be diagnosed on clinical grounds, irrespective of the serum sodium concentration.
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Bicarbonate is a laboratory value of considerable importance in emergency medicine. It is essential in the diagnosis of acid-base disorders, but must be interpreted in the context of a number of other parameters, including electrolytes, arterial blood gases, and renal function. ⋯ Still, in the emergency department, it is frequently found as an unsuspected component of a variety of pathologic processes. Except in extreme deviations from the normal range, the clinician is encouraged to seek an understanding of primary and compensatory processes before the initiation of therapy.