OVERVIEW
What is lactate level (fluid) lab test?
Lactate is substance made by muscle tissues and is produced when body turns food into energy (cell metabolism). Depending upon pH, it can present in lactic acid form as well, but mostly because of neutral body pH, the lactate form is present in blood. Lactate levels are normally very low in blood & CSF (cerebrospinal fluid). However, if there are inadequate cellular oxygen levels, or primary ways of energy production in body are disrupted, then it leads to excess lactate production by muscle cells/RBCs/brain or other tissues. This laboratory test is used to measure concentration of lactate found in blood or less commonly in CSF.
Why is lactate level (fluid) lab test done?
Primarily this test is done to determine lactic acidosis (condition caused by excess lactate levels disrupting body’s acid-base balance). However, it is ordered:
- If someone has condition in which oxygen delivered to cells is decreased i.e. in shock or congestive heart failure.
- In conditions where lactate levels are increased & has signs and symptoms of acidosis
- Having liver or kidney disease
- As initial evaluation in person suspected of sepsis
- To monitor treatment response in sepsis, shock/heart attack, severe congestive heart failure
- To monitor hypoxia (body deprived of oxygen)
- Lactate blood test determines lactic acidosis whereas lactate CSF test can help in distinguishing b/w bacterial & viral meningitis (inflammation of brain meninges).