TF12A4D - CLINICAL PATHOLOGY

At the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. identify the main laboratory tests used at different stages of the cardiovascular patient pathway, from prevention to the perioperative period;
2. understand why specific laboratory parameters are requested in patients at cardiovascular risk, during acute events, before cardiac surgery, during CPB/ECMO, and after surgery;
3. interpret simple laboratory profiles at an introductory level by integrating multiple results and distinguishing the meaning of an isolated value from its trend over time;
4. understand the role of monitoring the complete blood count, electrolytes, kidney function, acid-base balance, lactate, hemostasis, and cardiovascular biomarkers in the main clinical scenarios covered;
5. recognize the main laboratory changes associated with hemodilution, anticoagulation, bleeding, hypoperfusion, hemolysis, and organ injury in the setting of extracorporeal circulation;
6. use appropriate scientific terminology and relate laboratory findings to the clinical context without assigning diagnostic meaning to a single isolated result.