Venous pH, Whole Blood
pH, Venous
Test Codes
EPIC: LAB5361, PHVEN
Department
Chemistry
Instructions
- Venous pH and/or Ionized Calcium are to be drawn before any tubes, including routine or fungal/AFB blood cultures.
- Venous pH specimens should ONLY be collected at Hospital Campuses. Specimens should NOT be collected at any other Beaumont Laboratory drawsite, nursing home, or Outreach office.
Specimen Collection Criteria
Preferred Specimen Types: One non-gel, Dark Green-top Lithium or Sodium Heparin tube, completely filled. Also, a 1 mL or 3 mL plastic syringe containing dry heparin.
Farmington Hills Only: Collect one Sodium Heparin tube
Specimen should be drawn from a free-flowing venous access without a tourniquet in place. The tube top should NOT be removed until the sample is ready to be tested. Place specimen on ice and transport to the Laboratory immediately after collection.
Rejection Criteria
- Clotted specimens.
- Specimens not collected or processed as indicated.
- Specimens received greater than 2 hours from the time of collection.
Inpatient Specimen Preparation
Transport specimen, STAT, on wet ice, to the Laboratory immediately after collection.
In-Lab Processing
Leave specimen on ice and do NOT remove tube top until ready for testing.
Storage
Specimen Stability for Testing:
Blood Gas Syringe or Heparinized Tube:
Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): Specimens must remain on wet ice, maximum of 1 hour.
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): Unacceptable
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Unacceptable
Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:
Specimens are disposed within 8 hours of testing.
Laboratory
Canton Chemistry Laboratory
Dearborn Chemistry Laboratory
Farmington Hills Chemistry Laboratory
Grosse Pointe Chemistry Laboratory
Lenox Chemistry Laboratory
Royal Oak STAT Laboratory
Troy Chemistry Laboratory
Taylor Chemistry Laboratory
Trenton Chemistry Laboratory
Wayne Chemistry Laboratory
Performed
Sunday – Saturday, 24 hours a day.
Results available within 15 minutes after receipt in the STAT Laboratory (Royal Oak) or Chemistry Laboratory (Grosse Pointe and Troy).
Reference Range
7.32 – 7.42.
Test Methodology
Potentiometry.
Interpretation
Knowledge of venous pH aids in evaluating a patient's acid-base status.
Clinical Utility
Venous pH is used to assess acid-base status when a complete arterial blood gas panel is not considered necessary. It is frequently used to monitor patients who are being treated for diabetic ketoacidosis.
A decreased pH is consistent with acidosis and an increased pH is consistent with alkalosis. A normal pH may indicate that the patient has a normal pH or has a mixed acid-base disturbance. Appropriate assessment in the latter case requires arterial blood gas testing.
CPT Codes
82800
Contacts
Lenox Laboratory – LNX
947-523-4070
Name: Lenox Laboratory – LNX
Location:
Phone: 947-523-4070
Main Laboratory – TYL
313-295-5360
Name: Main Laboratory – TYL
Location:
Phone: 313-295-5360
Chemistry Laboratory – FH
947-521-5252
Name: Chemistry Laboratory – FH
Location:
Phone: 947-521-5252
Chemistry Laboratory – DBN
313-436-2196
Name: Chemistry Laboratory – DBN
Location:
Phone: 313-436-2196
Chemistry Laboratory – TRN
734-671-3165
Name: Chemistry Laboratory – TRN
Location:
Phone: 734-671-3165
Main Laboratory –WYN
734-467-4274
Name: Main Laboratory –WYN
Location:
Phone: 734-467-4274
Canton Laboratory – CTN
734-454-8024
Name: Canton Laboratory – CTN
Location:
Phone: 734-454-8024
STAT Laboratory – RO
248-898-0325
Name: STAT Laboratory – RO
Location:
Phone: 248-898-0325
Chemistry Laboratory – TR
248-964-8070
Name: Chemistry Laboratory – TR
Location:
Phone: 248-964-8070
Chemistry Laboratory – GP
313-473-1807
Name: Chemistry Laboratory – GP
Location:
Phone: 313-473-1807
Last Updated
4/6/2023
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