Blood Urea Nitrogen

Blood urea is the breakdown product of the amino acids which are present in proteins. When proteins break down, they produce nitrogen in the form of ammonia in the liver. The nitrogen combines with other chemicals in the liver to form the waste product called urea. This urea is released into the blood and carried to the kidneys where it is filtered out of the blood and flushed from the body through urine. Usually, healthy kidneys remove more than 90% of the urea the body produces, so determining blood urea levels can show how well your kidneys are working.

Your doctor may advise the Blood Urea Nitrogen test if you have risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure, liver disease, etc. People with early-stage kidney disease may not show symptoms, but this test can help detect such kidney problems so that the treatment can be more effective. This test also helps determine the effectiveness of dialysis treatment in kidney disease patients. Usually, no special preparation is required for the Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) test. You may eat and drink as per your daily routine.

Test result ranges are approximate and may differ slightly between different labs depending on the methodology and laboratory guidelines. Talk to your doctor about your specific test results. Narrate your complete medical history to help the doctor correlate your clinical and laboratory findings. The results will help them determine your medical condition, make recommendations for lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise, decide whether or not medication will be required to manage your kidney health, and formulate your overall treatment plan.