Question

You have a 75 yr old male patient in the LTC center with a diagnosis or type 2 diabetes, stroke, and unintentional weight loss. Look at the labs below and tell whether you think they are high, low, or normal and give dietary recommendations that might improve the lab, if needed.

Albumin- 2.6 mg/dl Hemoglobin- 10 g/dl

Hematocrit- 29%. MCV- 70 fL

Glucose- 100 mg/dl Hemoglobin A1C- 7.5%

Cholesterol- 210 mg/dl

Potassium- 2.4 mEq/l

Answer 1

Albumin 2.6 g/dl is low because normal range is 3.4 to 5.4 g/dl.Protein rich foods like nuts,eggs and diary products have to included in diet to improve albumin levels.

Hemoglobin 10 g/dl is low for this 75 year old man as the normal range is 13.5 to 17.5 g/dl.Iron rich foods like green leafy vegetables like spinach, beetroot, chicken liver, whole egg, oysters,apricot,almonds have to included in diet.

Hematocrit 29% is low as normal range for men is 45 to 52 %.Red meat ,fish oysters, shrimp), dried fruit ,green leafy vegatables have to be taken to improve hematocrit levels.

MCV 70 fl is low as its normal range is 80 to 96 fl.Take iron rich foods like spinach,beans,red meat ,pork,poultry.

Daiabetes 100 mg/dl is normal.

Hempglobin A1c -7.5 % is reasonable for this patient as he is diabetic.

Cholesterol 210 mg/dl is borderline .To reduce cholesterol take fruits and vegetables,fish containing omega 3 fatty acids and limit alcohol and salt.
Potassium -2.4 meq/l is low as the normal range is 3.5 to 5 meq/L.To increase potassium take potassium-rich foods like white potatoes, sweet potatoes, avocado, bananas.