How is a kidney problem diagnosed?
It mainly depends on testing urine, blood and ultrasound examination. Lab tests and the amount of urine produced are some of the signs of kidney disease. Creatinine and Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) are two lab tests which are done to assess the kidney’s ability to filter. Creatinine is the product of muscle breakdown and is very readily filte. by the kidneys. A normal creatinine level is around 1.0. A value much greater than 1.0 indicates decreasing renal function and and a value much less than 1.0 indicates increased renal function or decreased body muscle. It is important to note that your renal function naturally decreases with age so it is likely that creatinine will go up with age. On the other hand, creatinine is directly related to the amount of body muscle and therefore, individuals who are extremely weak or malnourished will have a falsely low creatinine level. BUN is a breakdown product of protein. The kidneys are responsible for eliminating the urea in the blood, and therefore
