BUN blood test

Healthy kidneys filter urea nitrogen through the urine. The BUN blood test measures the urea nitrogen levels in your blood as an indicator of the efficiency of the kidneys. BUN - Blood Urea Nitrogen blood test indicates the functioning of the kidneys. The BUN concentration is measured by analysis of serum or plasma. It is also done to check for efficiency of dialysis. BUN blood test measures the levels of urea nitrogen in the blood. BUN blood test results can be compared with creatinine test to check for dehydration. BUN - creatinine ratio can throw light on kidney functioning.

BUN blood test levels

Normal BUN blood levels are 7 - 20 mg/dl. Abnormal levels of BUN are usually indicative of renal failure or bleeding into the stomach or intestines. High levels of BUN in the blood can mean congestive heart failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, urinary tract obstruction or myocardial infarction. BUN blood levels are noticed to be higher in diabetics. This is due to accumulated stress on the kidneys over years. This leads to kidney failure and dysfunction. Acute dehydration raised BUN blood levels due to inadequate level of fluids in the body. Lower levels of BUN in the blood may suggest malnutrition or liver failure. Some women notice decrease in BUN level in the third trimester of pregnancy.

CMP blood test

A CMP (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel) blood test is a set of specific tests that aid in providing a physician with vital information on the status of a patient's liver, kidneys, blood sugar, blood proteins and electrolyte balance. Often a CMP blood test is part of a yearly examination. The CMP blood test encompasses:

• BUN blood test
  
• Creatinine test
  
• ALP blood test
  
• ALT blood test
  
• AST blood test
  
• Bilirubin test
  
• Glucose test
  
• Calcium test
  
• Albumin test
  
• Total Protein test
  
• Sodium test
  
• Potassium test
  
• CO2 test
  
• Chloride test
  

BMP blood test

BMP blood test or Basic Metabolic Panel blood test comprises a set of tests that throw light on the functioning of a person's kidneys, blood sugar, calcium, electrolyte and acid/base levels. BMP blood test comprises testing for:

Glucose: Metabolic disorders of carbohydrates, incidences of Pancreatitis, renal impairment in association with diabetes mellitus of adult and juvenile origins.

Calcium: Hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, tetanus, bone disorders, chronic renal failure.

Sodium: Central nervous system disorders, dehydration, gastrointestinal fluid loss, skin complications, hyperaldosteronism, polydipsia, burns.

Potassium: Hyperparathyroidism, conditions associated with glomerulus and renal tubules, diabetic ketoacidosis and metabolic alkalosis.

CO2 (carbon dioxide, bicarbonate): Renal metabolic disorders, primary respiratory and metabolic alkalosis.

Chloride: Diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, burns, renal diseases.

BMP blood test aids in diagnosis of kidney failure, diabetic coma, hypertension, changes in heart rhythms and respiratory illness. Basic metabolic panel elucidates the blood biochemistry values in association with the underlying medical conditions. The patient is advised to fast 12 hours before the test. In some conditions a random analysis is also followed. Other tests that are used by physicians to check for renal failure are BUN blood test and test for creatinine. If there is elevated blood calcium level, it can be confirmed with an ionized calcium test. Electrolyte imbalance can occur due to many an illness.