Homeostasis Module
Reading Outcomes
At the end of class on January 15, 2020, you should be able to:
- Define the four (4) uses of biochemical tests in healthcare (screening, diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis)
- Correctly use the terms – precision, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, to describe how “good” an analytical test is
- Define and calculate diagnostic specificity and sensitivity
- Given different disease characteristics, provide rationale for whether higher diagnostic specificity or sensitivity is most critical
- Explain the proper use of reference ranges and cut-offs to interpret clinical test results
- Correctly use medical terminology to describe abnormal blood electrolyte concentrations
- Define, calculate, and interpret anion gap
- Define and interpret osmolality
- Describe the causes and consequences of water imbalance
- Briefly explain the hormonal regulation of water intake and output, focusing on the roles of hypothalamus, the kidneys, and anti-diuretic hormones.
At the end of class on January 22, 2020, you should be able to:
- Describe key components of the respiratory membrane and factors that affect gas diffusion at the respiratory membrane
- Outline oxygen and carbon dioxide diffusion and transportation in the blood
- Draw the hemoglobin-oxygen dissociation curve and explain the factors that affect binding between hemoglobin and oxygen
- Name and describe the main buffer system and write its equation
- Explain the two main mechanisms (respiratory and urinary) involved in pH regulation
- Distinguish between blood pH problems of a respiratory origin and of a metabolic/renal origin
Please note that this reading resource alone may NOT address all of the listed module reading outcomes above. Additional research and independent learning may be necessary to fully prepare for class.
