Tag: Laboratory values

Worldwide, over 2.5 billion adults are either overweight or obese, while 390 million are underweight, highlighting a significant global burden of malnutrition. Healthcare professionals must understand the key assessment findings to identify a client with impaired nutrition, covering both undernutrition and overnutrition, to provide timely and effective interventions.

Studies suggest that malnutrition is prevalent in up to 50% of hospitalized patients, increasing the need for effective nutritional support like Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN). To confirm if this therapy is working, healthcare professionals rely on a specific lab value, prealbumin, to provide evidence that the TPN is effective in improving the client's nutritional status.

According to a 2017 review, patients receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN) must be closely monitored through a variety of clinical and lab markers to ensure safety and effectiveness. The success of TPN, a life-sustaining intravenous feeding method, is not determined by a single factor but by the collective improvement in a patient's overall nutritional status and health. Understanding the specific indicators is vital for healthcare providers and patients alike to assess whether the therapy is meeting its objectives.