Kidney Check

The primary electrolyte regulating fluid balance and blood pressure. Sodium is essential for nerve impulses and muscle contractions. Abnormal levels can cause confusion, seizures, and cardiac arrhythmias.

A critical electrolyte for heart rhythm, muscle contractions, and nerve function. Both high and low potassium can cause dangerous cardiac arrhythmias. Levels are influenced by kidney function, medications, and diet.

An electrolyte that works with sodium to maintain fluid balance, blood pressure, and acid-base balance. Chloride abnormalities often accompany sodium abnormalities and can indicate dehydration, kidney disease, or metabolic disorders.

A key component of the body's acid-base buffering system. Bicarbonate levels reflect the balance between acids and bases in the blood. Abnormal values help diagnose metabolic acidosis or alkalosis.

A waste product from protein breakdown, processed by the liver and excreted by the kidneys. Elevated urea levels can indicate kidney dysfunction, dehydration, high-protein diet, or gastrointestinal bleeding.

A waste product from normal muscle metabolism, filtered by the kidneys. Blood creatinine levels reflect kidney filtration capacity. Elevated levels may indicate impaired kidney function, dehydration, or excessive muscle breakdown.

If too much urate is produced or not enough is excreted, it can accumulate and lead to gout – an inflammation that occurs in joints.

An estimated measure of how well your kidneys filter waste from the blood. It's calculated from creatinine levels, age, sex, and race. eGFR is the primary marker used to stage chronic kidney disease.

Kidney stones tend to form in a highly acidic or alkaline environment and cause pain as they prevent urine from passing. The urine pH level test can also be an indicator of urinary tract infection.

Albumin in the urine can be temporary and harmless, caused by stresses such as fever or exercise, but it can also be a sign of early kidney disease.

A urine glucose test is often performed to check for diabetes. In some cases, a urine glucose test may also be done to check for kidney problems or a urinary tract infection.

This test looks for the presence of microscopic blood in the urine. Heamaturia can be caused by vigorous exercise and sexual activity, but is also an indicator of kidney disease.

Leucocytes are a type of white blood cell. If present in the urine, this can be a sign of infection.

Red blood cells (erythrocytes) in the urine may be a sign of kidney disease, a blood disorder or another underlying medical condition, such as bladder cancer.

A few epithelial cells may be considered normal, as they can be shed during the natural process of cell turnover and sloughing off of the urinary tract lining. However, an excess or abnormal type of epithelial cells in the urine may indicate an underlying condition or issue.

A urine culture is a test that can detect bacteria in your urine. This test can find and identify the germs that cause a urinary tract infection (UTI).

Creatinine is a waste product that your body makes when you use your muscles or when your body digests meat. Healthy kidneys remove creatinine from your blood, and it leaves your body in your urine. This test can find out whether your kidneys are working normally or to see if treatment for kidney disease is working.

Normal individuals usually excrete very small amounts of protein in the urine. Persistently increased protein excretion is usually a marker of kidney damage.