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Blood Question. K for help.
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Quadsweeps Sister
New member
When I worked in the hospitals, the docs would always order these two tests together: BUN & Creatinine tests. Most often looking for dehydration and decreased kidney function or to see how well your kidneys are processing waste or if the kidneys are removing creatinine from your blood. BUN is used to calculate the levels of blood creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN)-to-creatinine ratio. The amount of creatinine in the blood depends partly on the amount of muscle tissue; men generally have higher creatinine levels than women. Creatine forms when food is converted to energy through the process called metabolism. Creatine is broken down into another substance called creatinine, which is filtered out of your blood by the kidneys and then passed out of your body in urine.
So I imagine they are checking kidney function?
__________________
Mythicwrld
"We deceive ourselves when we fancy that only weakness needs support. Strength needs it far more."
So I imagine they are checking kidney function?
__________________
Mythicwrld
"We deceive ourselves when we fancy that only weakness needs support. Strength needs it far more."
eat big
New member
Quadsweep's Sister said:
Ehh not really. Just general blood tests. Does it mean I am eating too much protein? I have been off of creatine for a while too. So, my kidneys are not removing creatinine, which is a by-product of creatine?
The normal level is 5-26 mg/dL. I was at 28 so not that high at all.
Quadsweeps Sister
New member
Creatinine is produced at a steady rate and is affected very little by diet or by normal physical activities. If your kidneys are damaged and cannot function normally, the amount of creatinine in your urine decreases while its level in your blood increases.
Urea is a nitrogen-containing waste produced when protein in the body is broken down. The conversion from protein to urea takes place in the intestines and liver. The kidneys then eliminate urea from the body in urine. But as above I don't think it has anything to do with the protein you are eating per se, The test just identify the functioning of the liver, kidneys...and so on.
I've always heard that too much protein is hard on your kidneys and what you don't utilize or break down for energy, muscle growth, etc just get eliminated anyway. So I always tried to not take in too much although I did a lot when competing. Maybe you could take come herbals or drink teas that help to cleanse your kidneys and liver?
No - your level wasn't high, and it is a usual test when getting your blood work done. Hope I helped a bit. Take care.
__________________
Mythicwrld
"We deceive ourselves when we fancy that only weakness needs support. Strength needs it far more."
Urea is a nitrogen-containing waste produced when protein in the body is broken down. The conversion from protein to urea takes place in the intestines and liver. The kidneys then eliminate urea from the body in urine. But as above I don't think it has anything to do with the protein you are eating per se, The test just identify the functioning of the liver, kidneys...and so on.
I've always heard that too much protein is hard on your kidneys and what you don't utilize or break down for energy, muscle growth, etc just get eliminated anyway. So I always tried to not take in too much although I did a lot when competing. Maybe you could take come herbals or drink teas that help to cleanse your kidneys and liver?
No - your level wasn't high, and it is a usual test when getting your blood work done. Hope I helped a bit. Take care.
__________________
Mythicwrld
"We deceive ourselves when we fancy that only weakness needs support. Strength needs it far more."
beefcake28
New member
Blood urea nitrogen
BUN (blood urea nitrogen) is a test that measures the amount of urea nitrogen (a breakdown product of protein metabolism) in the blood.
Why the test is performed
The BUN test is a somewhat routine test used primarily to evaluate renal (kidney) function. The test is often performed on patients with many different diseases.
Urea is formed in the liver as the end product of protein metabolism. During digestion, protein is broken down to amino acids. Amino acids contain nitrogen, which is removed as NH4+ (ammonium ion), while the rest of the molecule is used to produce energy or other substances needed by the cell. The ammonia is combined with other small molecules to produce urea. The urea makes its way into the blood and it is ultimately eliminated in the urine by the kidneys.
Most renal diseases affect urea excretion so that BUN levels increase in the blood. Patients with dehydration or bleeding into the stomach and/or intestines may also have abnormal BUN levels. Numerous drugs also affect BUN by competing with it for elimination by the kidneys.
Normal Values
7 - 20 mg/dl. Note that normal values may vary among different laboratories.
What abnormal results mean
Greater-than-normal levels may indicate:
* Congestive heart failure
* Excessive protein catabolism (possibly due to starvation)
* Excessive protein ingestion
* Gastrointestinal bleeding
* Hypovolemia (possibly due to burns or dehydration)
* Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
* Renal disease (for example, glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, and acute tubular necrosis)
* Renal failure
* Shock
* Urinary tract obstruction (for example, tumor, stones, and prostatic hypertrophy)
Lower-than-normal levels may indicate:
* Liver failure
* Low protein diet
* Malnutrition
* Over-hydration
Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:
* Acute nephritic syndrome
* Alport syndrome
* Atheroembolic renal disease
* Chronic renal failure
* Complicated UTI (pyelonephritis)
* Dementia due to metabolic causes
* Diabetic nephropathy/sclerosis
* Digitalis toxicity
* End-stage renal disease
* Epilepsy
* Generalized tonic-clonic seizure
* Goodpasture's syndrome
* Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS)
* Hepatorenal syndrome
* IgM mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis
* Interstitial nephritis
* Lupus nephritis
* Malignant hypertension (arteriolar nephrosclerosis)
* Medullary cystic disease
* Membranoproliferative GN I
* Membranoproliferative GN II
* Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)
* Prerenal azotemia
* Primary amyloid
* Rapidly progressive (crescentic) glomerulonephritis
* Secondary systemic amyloid
* Wilms' tumor
What the risks are
* Excessive bleeding
* Fainting or feeling light-headed
* Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
* Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
* Multiple punctures to locate veins
Special considerations
For people with liver disease, the BUN level may be low even if the kidneys are normal.
Some drugs affect BUN levels. Before having this test, make sure the health care provider knows which medications you are taking.
Drugs that can increase BUN measurements include allopurinol, aminoglycosides, cephalosporins, chloral hydrate, cisplatin, furosemide, guanethidine, indomethacin, methotrexate, methyldopa, nephrotoxic drugs (for example, high-dose aspirin, amphotericin B, bacitracin, carbamazepine, colistin, gentamicin, methicillin, neomycin, penicillamine, polymyxin B, probenecid, vancomycin), propranolol, rifampin, spironolactone, tetracyclines, thiazide diuretics, and triamterene.
Drugs that can decrease BUN measurements include chloramphenicol and streptomycin.
Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.
Update Date: 6/13/2005
For more info, here is the link:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003474.htm
BUN (blood urea nitrogen) is a test that measures the amount of urea nitrogen (a breakdown product of protein metabolism) in the blood.
Why the test is performed
The BUN test is a somewhat routine test used primarily to evaluate renal (kidney) function. The test is often performed on patients with many different diseases.
Urea is formed in the liver as the end product of protein metabolism. During digestion, protein is broken down to amino acids. Amino acids contain nitrogen, which is removed as NH4+ (ammonium ion), while the rest of the molecule is used to produce energy or other substances needed by the cell. The ammonia is combined with other small molecules to produce urea. The urea makes its way into the blood and it is ultimately eliminated in the urine by the kidneys.
Most renal diseases affect urea excretion so that BUN levels increase in the blood. Patients with dehydration or bleeding into the stomach and/or intestines may also have abnormal BUN levels. Numerous drugs also affect BUN by competing with it for elimination by the kidneys.
Normal Values
7 - 20 mg/dl. Note that normal values may vary among different laboratories.
What abnormal results mean
Greater-than-normal levels may indicate:
* Congestive heart failure
* Excessive protein catabolism (possibly due to starvation)
* Excessive protein ingestion
* Gastrointestinal bleeding
* Hypovolemia (possibly due to burns or dehydration)
* Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
* Renal disease (for example, glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, and acute tubular necrosis)
* Renal failure
* Shock
* Urinary tract obstruction (for example, tumor, stones, and prostatic hypertrophy)
Lower-than-normal levels may indicate:
* Liver failure
* Low protein diet
* Malnutrition
* Over-hydration
Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:
* Acute nephritic syndrome
* Alport syndrome
* Atheroembolic renal disease
* Chronic renal failure
* Complicated UTI (pyelonephritis)
* Dementia due to metabolic causes
* Diabetic nephropathy/sclerosis
* Digitalis toxicity
* End-stage renal disease
* Epilepsy
* Generalized tonic-clonic seizure
* Goodpasture's syndrome
* Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS)
* Hepatorenal syndrome
* IgM mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis
* Interstitial nephritis
* Lupus nephritis
* Malignant hypertension (arteriolar nephrosclerosis)
* Medullary cystic disease
* Membranoproliferative GN I
* Membranoproliferative GN II
* Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)
* Prerenal azotemia
* Primary amyloid
* Rapidly progressive (crescentic) glomerulonephritis
* Secondary systemic amyloid
* Wilms' tumor
What the risks are
* Excessive bleeding
* Fainting or feeling light-headed
* Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
* Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
* Multiple punctures to locate veins
Special considerations
For people with liver disease, the BUN level may be low even if the kidneys are normal.
Some drugs affect BUN levels. Before having this test, make sure the health care provider knows which medications you are taking.
Drugs that can increase BUN measurements include allopurinol, aminoglycosides, cephalosporins, chloral hydrate, cisplatin, furosemide, guanethidine, indomethacin, methotrexate, methyldopa, nephrotoxic drugs (for example, high-dose aspirin, amphotericin B, bacitracin, carbamazepine, colistin, gentamicin, methicillin, neomycin, penicillamine, polymyxin B, probenecid, vancomycin), propranolol, rifampin, spironolactone, tetracyclines, thiazide diuretics, and triamterene.
Drugs that can decrease BUN measurements include chloramphenicol and streptomycin.
Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.
Update Date: 6/13/2005
For more info, here is the link:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003474.htm
