kidney dysfunction tests
- ↑ serum creatinine [normal 0.6 - 1.3 mg/dL]
- Creatinine is an end product of protein & muscle metabolism
- Increases only when at least 50% of renal function is lost
- ↑ blood urea nitrogen (BUN) [normal 8 - 25 mg/dL]
- BUN is a byproduct of protein metabolism in the liver
- Other factors can elevate BUN: dehydration, high-protein diet, corticosteroid use, GI bleeding, infection, etc.
- When BUN and creatinine levels increase at the same rate & the ratio remains constant, ↑ creatinine and BUN suggest renal dysfunction.
- Creatinine clearance test
- Evaluates how well the kidneys remove creatinine from the blood
- Provides the best estimate of the GFR (normal = 125 mL/min)
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