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Lab Safety Alerts

Understanding critical value alerts and when to seek medical care

3 min readUpdated Jan 15, 2026

Lab Safety Alerts

ClapDiet includes safety features to alert you when lab values need attention.

Types of Alerts

🔴 Critical Alerts

Values that may require immediate medical attention:

  • Severely abnormal results
  • Life-threatening ranges
  • Clear message: "Seek medical care"
  • 🟠 Urgent Attention

    Values that should be discussed with a healthcare provider soon:

  • Moderately abnormal results
  • Potential health concerns
  • Message: "Consult your doctor"
  • 🟡 Monitor Closely

    Values that are abnormal but not immediately concerning:

  • Mildly out of range
  • Worth tracking over time
  • Message: "Keep an eye on this"
  • How Alerts Work

    When you upload labs:

  • We check all values against safety thresholds
  • Critical values trigger immediate alerts
  • You'll see a clear banner at the top of your results
  • We recommend appropriate action
  • Example Critical Values

    These examples may trigger critical alerts (actual thresholds vary):

    TestCritical LowCritical High Potassium<2.5 mmol/L>6.5 mmol/L Sodium<120 mmol/L>160 mmol/L Glucose<50 mg/dL>400 mg/dL Hemoglobin<7 g/dL>20 g/dL Note: These are examples. Actual thresholds depend on many factors.

    What to Do With Alerts

    For Critical Alerts

  • Don't panic - but take action
  • Contact your doctor immediately or go to urgent care
  • Don't try to self-treat with diet changes alone
  • Keep a record of the alert to show your provider
  • For Urgent Attention

  • Schedule an appointment with your doctor
  • Don't wait more than a few days
  • Review our information but seek professional advice
  • For Monitor Closely

  • Note the value and its trend
  • Consider retest in the recommended timeframe
  • Dietary adjustments may be appropriate
  • Discuss at your next checkup
  • Contraindication Warnings

    Beyond lab values, we also alert you to:

  • Food-medication interactions
  • Nutrients to avoid with certain conditions
  • Safety concerns based on your health profile
  • Learn more about contraindication warnings →

    Limitations

    Our alerts are based on:

  • General medical guidelines
  • Your reported health conditions
  • Your reported medications
  • We cannot account for:
  • Your complete medical history
  • Recent changes not in your profile
  • Symptoms you're experiencing
  • Context your doctor would know
  • Always err on the side of caution with health concerns.

    Updating Safety Settings

    If you have specific conditions that affect safe ranges:

  • Go to Profile > Health Conditions
  • Add relevant conditions
  • Our alerts will adjust accordingly

  • Important: ClapDiet is not a substitute for medical advice. When in doubt, consult a healthcare professional. Related Articles:
  • Understanding Lab Interpretations
  • Contraindication Warnings
  • safetyalertscriticalurgentmedical