BUN Lab Values | Definition | Performance

BUN Lab Value – Overview

The kidney, liver, heart, and all the other organs have special roles in our body. To determine the functionality of such organs, there are special lab tests available, BUN lab value is one of such tests prescribed to check the functionality of the Kidney.

All you need to know about BUN Lab Value and its related information is given here.

What is BUN?

BUN test is a short form of the Blood Urea Nitrogen test. When our body breaks the protein that we consume through foods, our liver produces urea nitrogen as a waste product.

When we talk about the functionality of kidneys, they are responsible for eliminating waste products through urination.

BUN is removed by the kidneys through urine. If our kidneys are not healthy, BUN will not be adequately removed from the body and mixed up with blood.

A BUN test is performed to check the amount of waste product present in your blood. BUN Lab Value means a normal range of BUN levels in our blood. If the amount of BUN in our blood is high, there might be a problem with your liver or kidneys.

How Does BUN Test Perform?

A BUN test is prescribed to check the kidney’s functionality. However, your doctor would prescribe a few more lab tests along with this test to identify the condition of the organs so that the doctor can diagnose it properly.

It is also performed to check the condition of the kidney after completing the dialysis process.

The doctor would prescribe this test upon

  • Gastrointestinal bleeding
  • Liver-related issues
  • Urinary tract obstruction
  • Congestive heart failure, etc.

If you have the following symptoms, share them with your doctor and he would prescribe this BUN test for further investigation.

  • Pain in your legs while sleeping
  • Pain while you urinate
  • Foamy, discolored, brown, urine
  • The frequency of urination changed suddenly
  • Feeling tired all the time
  • Swelling in your legs, arms, eyes, face, and ankles
  • Pain in the middle of your back around the kidneys

Preparations Before the BUN Test

There are no specific things you have to do prior to this test; however, there are certain things that you should share with your doctor before you get the BUN test done.

The first thing you need to share with your doctor is about the medications you are taking if any.

Some medicines might alter the final test results of the BUN test, if you are taking any such medicines, your doctor would tell you to stop taking them 24 hours or so before the BUN test.

BUN test doesn’t require a special diet, you can eat and drink whatever you want. However, if the doctor has prescribed other tests along with the BUN test, then you will have to follow the words of your doctor to get the perfect results of the tests.

BUN Lab Value:

What after the BUN test is performed? Once you are done with the test, you will be provided with the lab report to show to your doctor.

Now, if you want to understand the BUN Lab Value and its range, etc., then here we have provided all the information about the BUN Lab Value for you.

The Normal BUN range is 7 to 20 milligrams per deciliter. If your BUN test result is not within this range, consult with your doctor for further investigation of the issue.

If the results are not in the normal range, you should not get worried as several other things could change the results of these tests. It doesn’t mean that your kidneys or liver are damaged.

If the regular diet you follow has a high protein intake or low protein intake, then the final BUN value might be changed. Sometimes, antibiotics and steroids could also alter the results of this test.

Other factors such as aging, pregnancy, etc. could also affect the total BUN Value. Make sure that you follow a proper diet a few days before the test and also stop taking the medicines after consulting with your doctor if you want an accurate test result from the BUN test.

BUN Lab Values

What are BUN Lab Values?

What are the problems associated with high or low BUN Value?

As noted above, a high or low BUN value doesn’t mean that you are having a problem with your organs.

However, in general, if your BUN test reports show high or low BUN values, then you might be having issues. Some of the problems with the test results of high or low BUN values are listed below!

  • Kidney failure
  • Kidney disease
  • Urinary tract obstructions
  • Shock
  • Stress
  • Gastrointestinal bleeding
  • Heart disease
  • Lack of protein in your diet
  • Overhydration
  • Liver failure

If your BUN reports are not normal, your doctor would prescribe a few more tests including blood and urine for further investigation and to diagnose this problem.

A creatine test is one more test your doctor might prescribe to check the functionality of the kidney if the BUN test shows different results.

The Bottom Line:

BUN is just like a common blood test to check the functionality of the kidney. The patient can do normal activities right after the test is done if he is not taking any other medicines.

Patients with high or low BUN values should visit the doctor’s clinic more frequently to check the condition of the kidneys.

See Also

What are the Creatinine Lab Values

What are the Normal Lab Values

Grants for Laboratory Equipment

Best Medical Device Companies

Follow us