Doctors can assess kidney function by doing tests on blood and urine samples.
Creatinine, a waste product, is increased in the blood when kidney function is decreased by a large amount.
Creatinine clearance—a more accurate test than simply measuring the creatinine level in the blood—can be approximated from a blood sample using a formula that relates the creatinine level in the blood to a person’s age, weight, and sex. Determining creatinine clearance more precisely requires an accurately timed urine collection in conjunction with the blood creatinine determination.
Cystatin C, a protein in the blood, is also sometimes measured as an indicator of kidney function.
The level of urea nitrogen in the blood (BUN) can also indicate how well the kidneys are functioning, although many other factors can alter the BUN level.
(See also Evaluation of Kidney and Urinary Tract Disorders Evaluation of Kidney and Urinary Tract Disorders A doctor obtains a medical history by interviewing a person. The interview includes questions about a person's symptoms, past medical history (what disorders the person has had), drugs (prescribed... read more .)
Drugs Mentioned In This Article
| Generic Name | Select Brand Names |
|---|---|
urea |
Aluvea , BP-50% Urea , BP-K50, Carmol, CEM-Urea, Cerovel, DermacinRx Urea, Epimide-50, Gord Urea, Gordons Urea, Hydro 35 , Hydro 40, Kerafoam, Kerafoam 42, Keralac, Keralac Nailstik, Keratol, Keratol Plus, Kerol, Kerol AD, Kerol ZX, Latrix, Mectalyte, Nutraplus, RE Urea 40, RE Urea 50 , Rea Lo, Remeven, RE-U40, RYNODERM , U40, U-Kera, Ultra Mide 25, Ultralytic-2, Umecta, Umecta Nail Film, URALISS, Uramaxin , Uramaxin GT, Urea, Ureacin-10, Ureacin-20, Urealac , Ureaphil, Uredeb, URE-K , Uremez-40, Ure-Na, Uresol, Utopic, Vanamide, Xurea, X-VIATE |
