Bicarbonate
(HCO3)

Sample type:

A blood sample drawn from a vein (Serum)

Uses:

Diagnosis and treatment of acid-base imbalance in respiratory and metabolic systems.
You may also have this test if you have kidney disease, liver failure, or other conditions related to metabolism.
As part of an electrolyte panel or metabolic panel to identify or monitor an electrolyte imbalance or acid-base (pH) imbalance.

Precaution:

No Fasting Required. No other special preparations required.
Do not store. Send as soon as possible to the laboratory at ambient temperature (within 8 hours maximum)
Serum gel tubes should be centrifuged within 2 hours of collection.
Red-top tubes should be centrifuged and aliquoted within 2 hours of collection.
Avoid exposure of the sample to air.
Specimen Type Serum Refrigerated 24 hours.

Interference factor:

Many medicines can interfere with blood test results.
Some drugs may increase bicarbonate levels including fludrocortisone, barbiturates, bicarbonates, hydrocortisone, loop diuretics, and steroids.
Drugs that may decrease bicarbonate levels include methicillin, nitrofurantoin, tetracycline, thiazide diuretics, triamterene, calcium inhibitors, anti-viral/HIV drugs, and valproic acid.
bicarbonate (HCO3) actually includes dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2), this fraction will escape from the specimen into the air once the stopper is removed from the vacutainer tube.
The rate of change in the bicarbonate determination is approximately 6 mmol/L in the course of 1 hour. the error is bicarbonate determinations will be different. This is due to the length of time between removal of the stopper and sampling of the specimen for analysis.
Alterations of bicarbonate (HCO3) and carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolved in plasma are characteristic of acid-base imbalance.

Pre-analytical errors:

let the specimen into the air without stopper.

The corrective action:

The sample should be rejected and another sample requested.

Post-analytical errors:

write the wrong name in the report or the wrong results.

The corrective action:

If the report is not delivered to the patient and this error is discovered, the correct result or the correct name must be written, but if the report is delivered to the patient, you must communicate with him, apologise to him, and tell him that an error has occurred and replace it with the correct report.

Reference range:

0-18 years Not available due to wide variability. See child’s lab report for reference range

Adult 23-29 mEq/L 23-29 mmol/L

> 60 years 23-31 mEq/L 23-31 mmol/L

> 90 years20-29 mEq/L 20-29 mmol/L