You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes. You don't need any special preparations for a BUN test. If your health care provider has also ordered other blood tests, you may need to fast not eat or drink for several hours before the test.
Your health care provider will let you know if there are any special instructions to follow. There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly. Normal BUN levels can vary, but generally a high level of blood urea nitrogen is a sign that your kidneys are not working correctly. However, abnormal results don't always indicate that you have a medical condition needing treatment.
Higher than normal BUN levels can also be caused by dehydration, burns, certain medicines, a high protein diet, or other factors, including your age. BUN levels normally increase as you get older. To learn what your results mean, talk to your health care provider. Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.
A BUN test is only one type of measurement of kidney function. If your health care provider suspects you have kidney disease, additional tests may be recommended. These may include a measurement of creatinine, which is another waste product filtered by your kidneys, and a test called a GFR Glomerular Filtration Rate , which estimates how well your kidneys are filtering blood. BUN levels help your healthcare provider see how well your kidneys are working.
The test may be used along with other measurements to help diagnose a kidney disorder or find out how well your treatment for kidney disease is working. If your healthcare provider thinks that you have kidney problems, you may need a BUN test to help diagnose the condition. Symptoms that can mean kidney problems include:. You may need a BUN test for other reasons. Depending on your overall health, it may be part of a routine health check to find out how your kidneys are working.
If you need dialysis or medicine for kidney function, you may have the test to check the health of your kidneys before the procedure, after the procedure, or both. BUN tests are also routine during hospital stays for certain conditions. Your healthcare provider will likely also check the creatinine levels in your blood. On its own, the BUN level does little to tell your provider for sure about your kidney renal function.
But when it is measured along with creatinine levels, your provider can look at how these 2 levels compare to help find out your kidney function. If this ratio is higher or lower than normal, you may have some type of kidney problem. If your healthcare provider thinks you may have a kidney problem, you may also have other blood and urine tests and a blood pressure check to help check your kidney function.
Test results may vary depending on your age, gender, health history, the method used for the test, and other things. Your test results may not mean you have a problem.
Creatine is a product of amino acid metabolism made after protein breakdown, and it is necessary for the body, helping to produce energy and move the muscles. The ratio of BUN to creatinine is usually between and The course of treatment for each person with abnormal BUN levels varies depending on the cause and severity.
Less serious health issues that lead to abnormal BUN levels might require less intense therapy and long-term monitoring. People with more severe conditions, such as end-stage kidney disease, often need intensive and on-going treatment, such as dialysis. In the case of abnormal BUN levels caused by eating too much protein, people can limit the amount of protein-rich foods, such as meat, fish, beans, and dairy, and increase the amount of fruit and vegetables they consume.
Staying well-hydrated also helps prevent the buildup of BUN. According to a cross-sectional study, a person with high BUN levels is more likely to have high blood pressure. A survey of over 1 million military veterans from the U. BUN tests are easy to perform and may be a useful indicator of overall health and kidney and liver function.
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Measurement Preparation Procedure Results Considerations Follow-up treatments and tests A BUN test measures the level of urea nitrogen in the blood using a standard blood sample. Share on Pinterest BUN levels can provide an update on kidney and liver health. Follow-up treatments and tests.
Share on Pinterest BUN tests can provide a picture of kidney health but not diagnose a disease. Costs associated with obesity may account for 3.
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