Clinical Chemistry Case Study

An elderly male patient was brought to the emergency room complaining of nausea, vomiting and body malaise. He was afebrile and had a blood pressure of 150/100.

The laboratory results were as follows:

Total cholesterol – 1.87 mmol/L

Triglycerides – 1.3 mmol/L

Glucose = 3.8 mmol/L

Hemoglobin = 150 mg/dL

Hematocrit 52 vol%

QUESTIONS:

1. What is the initial impression based on lab results?

2. What further laboratory testing or diagnostic procedure do you recommend?

3. Defend your answers.

ANSWERS:

1. Primary hypertension
2. Cardiac panel test, to include CKMB, AST, LDH, Troponin
 CBC, routine urinalysis, Kidney function tests (BUN, creatinine) could also be performed to rule out other causes.
3. The lab results are normal, so there are no underlying lipid cause, but the BP is slightly elevated, so it is primary hypertension or essential hypertension.