Why Do Some Blood Tests Require Fasting
Everything you eat and drink contains vitamins, proteins, and other nutrients that can cause the related levels in your blood to temporarily spike or drop.
Fasting for 812 hours helps ensure that blood test results are free from these variables, making your test results as accurate as possible.
Some common tests that may require fasting include:
- cholesterol tests
Results may take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to become available. Heres an overview of how long some common tests may take:
- complete blood count : 24 hours
- basic metabolic panel: 24 hours
- complete metabolic panel: 2472 hours
- lipid panel: 24 hours.
This can depend on the specific lab where you get tested or how many tests you get done at once. If you order multiple tests, you may not get the complete results until all of the tests are completed.
Sometimes a lab will only release results to your doctor, who reviews them and then releases them to you.
What Is Kidney Disease
The kidneys filter all the blood in your body every 30 minutes, and kidney disease impacts the ability of your body to filter out excess fluids. Kidney failure happens when these filters don’t do their job and fluids and other substanceselectrolytes and minerals like potassium and other waste productsbuild up to dangerous levels in the body.
An imbalance in fluids can cause swelling, blood pressure problems, irregular heart rhythms, confusion, and more.
Who Has A Blood Test Of Kidney Function
Routine kidney function is one of the most commonly performed blood tests. It may be done:
- As part of a general health assessment.
- If you have suspected low body water content , when the urea level increases.
- If you have suspected kidney failure. The higher the blood levels of urea and creatinine, the less well the kidneys are working. The level of creatinine is usually used as a marker as to the severity of kidney failure. Creatinine in itself is not harmful but a high level indicates that the kidneys are not working properly. So, many other waste products will not be cleared out of the bloodstream. You normally need treatment with dialysis if the level of creatinine goes higher than a certain value.
- Before and after starting treatment with certain medicines. Some medicines occasionally cause kidney damage as a side-effect. Therefore, kidney function is often checked before and after starting treatment with certain medicines.
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What Testing Is Common During End
Your doctor will do regular blood tests to check on how you’re doing. The tests help your doctor know if you need any changes in your treatment. Blood tests measure:
- Levels of waste products and electrolytes in your blood that should be removed by your kidneys. These include creatinine, blood urea nitrogen , potassium, and calcium.
- Your red blood cells, to see if you have anemia of chronic kidney disease. Your doctor can use repeat complete blood cell count tests to see if anemia treatment is working.
How Your Child Feels
In addition to the results of these tests, we also look at your childs symptoms and how he feels. Despite having a high creatinine level, if hes feeling well and going to school, its probably not time to go on dialysis or have a kidney transplant.
After we complete all necessary tests, our experts meet to review and discuss what they have learned about your child’s condition. Then well meet with you and your family to discuss the results and outline the best treatment options.
It’s entirely natural that you might be concerned right now about your child’s health a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease can be frightening. But you can rest assured that at Boston Children’s Hospital, your child is in good hands. Our physicians are bright, compassionate and committed to focusing on all of your child’s needs, not just his condition.
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Is Kidney Disease The Same As A Kidney Infection
Kidney disease is not the same as a kidney infection. Kidney disease happens when you have a genetic or congenital issueone you were born withthat causes damage to your kidneys, or when you acquire a disease or your lifestyle choices limit your kidney function. Diabetes, heart disease, alcohol, and drug use, and other conditions can all impact your kidneyseven the medications you take. Chronic kidney disease is the result of long-term problems that lower the ability of your kidneys to process and excrete waste fluids and solutes, regulate blood pressure, and maintain the bodys fluid balance.
A kidney infection occurs when bacteria, most commonly Escherichia coli, travels from the urethra up through the bladder and ureter into one or both of your kidneys. You can also have a kidney injuryoften caused by sudden illness or certain medicationsthat can resolve in time with little permanent damage.
What To Watch For
Kidney disease gets worse over time as waste and fluid build up in your body. Here are the warning signs:
- Changes in your urine. You might pee more or less than normal. Or you could notice a change in color or that your pee is foamy. This means that protein is seeping out of your kidneys. Blood in the urine is another sign.
- Dry and itchy skin. This can happen when your kidneys are no longer able to balance the minerals and nutrients in your blood.
- Swelling. Your kidneys help even out the amount of sodium in your body. When theyâre not working well, your body hangs on to extra salt. This can cause puffy skin around your ankles and feet. You may also notice it in your hands or around your eyes.
- Upset stomach. Built-up waste in your blood can cause nausea and loss of appetite.
- Fatigue. Your kidneys produce a hormone that tells your body to make red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout your body. If theyâre not working right, this doesnât get done, and you can have a health problem called anemia. You may feel tired, even after you rest. Your sleep quality may suffer, too.
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Why It Is Done
A kidney biopsy is done to:
- Find kidney disease when there is blood or protein in the urine or when the kidneys are not working well.
- Check kidney problems seen on an ultrasound or a CT scan.
- Watch kidney disease and see if treatment is working.
- Find out why a transplanted kidney isn’t working well.
- Find out more information about a tumour found in the kidney.
Sexually Transmitted Disease Tests
Many sexually transmitted diseases can be diagnosed using a blood sample. These tests are often combined with urine samples or swabs of infected tissue for more accurate diagnoses.
The following STDs can be diagnosed with blood tests:
Blood tests arent always accurate right after contracting an infection. For an HIV infection, for example, you may need to wait at least a month before a blood test can detect the virus.
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What Is The Best Way To Check Your Kidney Function At Home
As well as common kidney infections, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and kidney inflammation are just some of the factors that can affect your kidneys health. There are a handful of different kidney function tests that can be used to check in on your kidneys, these include a blood test, imaging test, or urine test. Blood tests typically check urea, eGFR , and creatinine and can be taken from home with an at-home lab test.
LetsGetCheckeds at-home Kidney Function Test checks urea, eGFR, and creatinine each of which can give insight into kidney performance and function and is one of the most reliable ways to check kidney function from home.
The kidney function test will arrive in discreet packaging with a return envelope and clear instructions inside. It is a blood test that will involve a simple finger prick sample. Online results will be available within 2-5 days and our dedicated clinical team is available throughout the process to answer any questions you may have and guide you through any other steps you should take. If you would like more detail about the sampling process, find out more here.
How Is The Test Done
Usually, your doctor will ask you not to eat excessive amounts of meat or other protein for 24 hours before a kidney blood test. During the test, your doctor will extract blood from your veins into a tube, which will then be sent off for testing at a laboratory. Test results are usually available within a few days, or even on the same day if youre having the test in a hospital.
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What Causes Kidney Malfunction
A major culprit of kidney problems is an acidic diet . A brand-new study sheds light on the renal problems that can be caused by a high-acid, meat-rich diet.
The study followed 1,500 people with kidney disease for a period of 14 years. Participants who ate a diet high in meat came very close to experiencing complete kidney failure, while those who ate more fruits and vegetables did not even come close to kidney failure. Researchers estimate that an acidic diet can make it three times more likely for your kidneys to fail.1
Says lead study author Dr. Tanushree Banejee,
Patients with chronic kidney disease may want to pay more attention to diet consumption of acid rich foods to reduce progression to kidney failuredialysis treatmentsmay be avoided by adopting a more healthy diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables.1
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About Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic Kidney Disease affects approximately 14% of people in the U.S., and the primary causes are diabetes and high blood pressure. Kidney disease will often develop without any symptoms, and may not be detected until kidney function is significantly impaired. When it is detected early, CKD can be slowed through medication or lifestyle changes. There is no cure for kidney disease treatment focuses on preventing the worsening of kidney damage. End stage kidney disease requires either dialysis or a kidney transplant. Each year, kidney disease kills more people than breast or prostate cancer.2
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Blood Tests For Diagnosing Kidney Disease
Following are a variety of blood tests that help determine whether or not you have kidney disease:
- CBC complete blood count of your red blood cells, white blood cells, and plateletslow CBC level can mean kidney function is reduced.
- Creatinine waste product of muscles that is normally eliminated by the kidneys, may be elevated when kidney function is reduced.
- Creatinine clearance measure of how well creatinine is removed by the kidneys over a 24-hour period of urine collection. When kidney function is reduced, clearance may be low.
- Blood electrolyte tests also known as chemistries. Electrolytes are filtered out of the blood by the kidneys. Abnormal levels may indicate reduced kidney function.
- Hemoglobin A1C measures how well blood sugar is controlled during three months before testing. Elevation indicates blood sugar is not well-controlled and may be causing reduced kidney function.
- Blood urea nitrogen also a waste product that is eliminated by the kidneys. BUN is elevated when kidney function is reduced.
- Glomerular filtration rate the best measure of kidney function and also determines the stage or progression of the disease. The higher the numbers of the GFR, the better the kidneys are working.
How Is Chronic Kidney Disease Diagnosed
The first step in treating your child is forming an accurate and complete diagnosis. Its important to remember that diagnosis for chronic kidney disease can be thought of in two ways: diagnostic tests that indicate a problem with your childs kidneys, and kidney function tests that tell us how well they are working.
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Who Needs A Kidney Test
You are most at risk of kidney disease if you have diabetes and/or high blood pressure .
The chances of developing kidney disease increase as you get older. If youre male and if youre black or south Asian youre also more likely to develop kidney disease.
Visit your GP for a kidney test if you have:
- diabetes
A Negative Test Result Is Usually Good News
Negative is not the same as bad when it comes to blood tests. A negative result means that the test did not detect what it was seeking, whether it was a disease marker or a risk factor for a health condition. When youve had a blood test to check for an infectious disease an interferon gamma release assay for tuberculosis, for example getting back a negative result is good news it means the test found no evidence of an infection.
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Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate
Estimated glomerular filtration rate provides a guide to kidney function. Although the level of creatinine in the blood is a useful guide to kidney function, the eGFR is a more accurate measure. Blood creatinine can be used to estimate the eGFR using age, sex and race. This is often calculated by computer and reported with the creatinine blood test. The normal value for eGFR is 90-120 ml/min. An eGFR below 60 ml/min suggests that some kidney damage has occurred. The value becomes lower with increasing severity of kidney damage.
Read more about estimated glomerular filtration rate .
Blood Tests For Kidney Disease
The best measure of kidney function is the glomerular filtration rate , which can be estimated from a blood test that checks the blood for creatinine .
A normal GFR result is higher than 90 mL/min/1.73 m2. If the result is persistently less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 for at least three months, this confirms that the person has chronic kidney disease.
Blood tests can reveal other abnormalities of kidney function, such as:
- high levels of acids
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Know Your Kidney Numbers: Two Simple Tests
Did you know one in three American adults is at risk for kidney disease? Anyone can get kidney disease at any time. If kidney disease is found and treated early, you can help slow or even stop it from getting worse. Most people with early kidney disease do not have symptoms. That is why it is important to be tested. Know your kidney numbers!
Your kidney numbers include 2 tests: ACR and GFR . GFR is a measure of kidney function and is performed through a blood test. Your GFR will determine what stage of kidney disease you have there are 5 stages. Know your stage.ACR is a urine test to see how much albumin is in your urine. Too much albumin in your urine is an early sign of kidney damage.
Questions For Your Doctor About Test Results
When your test results are ready, you can learn more about their significance by discussing them with your doctor. Some questions that you can ask include:
- Were there any abnormal findings on my renal panel test? If so, what were they?
- For any abnormal findings, can you explain what might be the cause?
- Are there any follow-up tests that are warranted based on my renal panel test?
- Should I take this test again? If so, when?
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What Is A Creatinine Test
A creatinine test, also called a serum creatinine test, is a way for doctors to measure how well your kidneys are working. Creatinine is a waste product from the normal breakdown of muscle tissue. As your body makes it, it’s filtered through your kidneys and expelled in urine. Your kidneys‘ ability to handle creatinine is called the creatinine clearance rate, and this helps estimate how fast blood is moving through your kidneys, called the glomerular filtration rate .
What Is Microalbuminuria
Albumin is an important protein that is found in large quantities in the blood but is not normally present in the urine of healthy cats. The term microalbuminuria refers to the presence of very small amounts of albumin in urine.
Microalbuminuria may indicate underlying health problems and is sometimes an early warning sign of primary kidney disease .
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How It Is Done
A kidney biopsy is done by a urologist, nephrologist, or a radiologist in a clinic or a hospital. A kidney biopsy is often done by a radiologist using ultrasound, fluoroscopy, a CT scan, or magnetic resonance imaging to help guide the biopsy needle.
You will need to take off all or most of your clothes. You will wear a gown. Before the biopsy, you may be given a sedative through an intravenous line in a vein in your arm. The sedative will help you relax and lie still during the biopsy.
Prevention Of Kidney Disease
Medication and changes to lifestyle, along with an early referral to a kidney specialist , can prevent or delay kidney failure.
Heathy lifestyle choices to keep your kidneys functioning well include:
- Eat lots of fruit and vegetables including legumes and grain-based food such as bread, pasta, noodles and rice.
- Eat lean meat such as chicken and fish each week.
- Eat only small amounts of salty or fatty food.
- Drink plenty of water instead of other drinks. Minimise consumption of sugary soft drinks.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Stay fit. Do at least 30 minutes of physical activity that increases your heart rate on five or more days of the week, including walking, lawn mowing, bike riding, swimming or gentle aerobics.
- If you dont smoke, dont start. If you do, quit. Call the Quitline or ask your doctor for help with quitting.
- Limit your alcohol to no more than two small drinks per day if you are male, or one small drink per day if you are female.
- Have your blood pressure checked regularly.
- Do things that help you relax and reduce your stress levels.
A range of medication is available for high blood pressure. Different blood pressure medications work in different ways, so it is not unusual for more than one type to be prescribed. The dose may change according to your needs.
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