Word parts
lact/o milk (lactic acid was first found in sour milk)-ate a salt of an acid
What it means
Cells normally use oxygen to make energy. When tissues do not get enough oxygen, as in shock, severe sepsisSEP-sisA severe whole-body response to an infection that damages the body's own organs.Full entry or very hard exercise, they switch to a backup process that produces lactic acid, and the blood lactate level rises. A high level can make the blood acidic (lactic acidosis). In sepsis, lactate is measured early and again to see whether treatment is working.
For the nurse
Draw the sample as ordered without a long tourniquet time, and report a high or rising value at once. In a client with suspected sepsis, a high lactate is a reason for fast treatment with fluids and antibiotics.
At a glance
| Normal range | Less than 18 mg/dL [less than 2 mmol/L]; most US labs report lactate in mmol/L |
|---|---|
| Critical range | 36 mg/dL [4 mmol/L] or higher; each lab sets its own critical values |
| Spanish | lactato |
| Also written | lactic acid, serum lactate, blood lactate, lactate level, lactic acid level |