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Kidney Disease and Your Heart

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Kidney Disease and Your Heart

Blood vessels-3D rendering

Image by Antonino Paolo Di Giovanna/Wikimedia

Heart Disease

Heart Disease-Heart attack

Image by TheVisualMD

What Is Heart Disease?

Heart disease includes any problem that keeps your heart from pumping blood as well as it should. The problem might start in your blood vessels or your heart. Heart and blood vessel problems include

the buildup of a substance called plaque in the walls of the blood vessels
a blood clot that blocks the flow of blood to the heart
heart attack—heart damage caused by a lack of blood and oxygen to the heart

The buildup of plaque is often the first step in making other problems. Plaque can block blood flow.

Plaque can block blood flow.

	Normal blood vessel
	Blood vessel with plaque
	Blood vessel with plaque and blood clot

The early symptoms of plaque in your blood vessels include

pain in your chest, called angina
pain in your legs when walking
sudden numbness or weakness in your arms or legs
temporary signs of a stroke—a blockage of blood to the brain—such as having a hard time speaking or drooping muscles in your face
feeling dizzy at times

A blood clot may form in a blood vessel that carries blood to the heart muscle. Then your heart muscle does not get the oxygen and nutrients it needs from the blood. The muscle becomes damaged. The damage to your heart caused by this blockage and lack of oxygen is called a heart attack.

Each person may have different heart attack symptoms. Symptoms can include

chest pains or discomfort, or often a sense of chest pressure
pain or discomfort in one or both arms—often the left arm—or in the back, jaw, neck, or stomach
shortness of breath
heavy sweating
nausea or vomiting
light-headedness

Women may not have chest pain. However, women may be more likely to have shortness of breath, nausea, or back and jaw pain.

If you have any of these symptoms, call 911 right away. You can start getting treatment in the ambulance on your way to the emergency room.

Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Additional Materials (1)

1:11

British Heart Foundation - Heart disease is heartless

British Heart Foundation/YouTube

How Are They Related?

Chronic Kidney Disease - What causes CKD?

Image by TheVisualMD

How Are Kidney Disease and Heart Disease Related?

Kidney disease and heart disease share two of the same main causes:

diabetes
high blood pressure

Diabetes

If you have diabetes, you have too much glucose, also called sugar, in your blood. Too much glucose in your blood for a long time can damage many parts of your body, including your heart and kidneys.

High Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels. With high blood pressure, your heart works harder to pump blood, which can strain your heart. High blood pressure can damage your blood vessels. If high blood pressure damages the small blood vessels in your kidneys, your kidneys will not filter your blood as well as they should.

Blood pressure is written as two numbers separated by a slash. A doctor will say a blood pressure reading of 120/80 as “120 over 80.” The top number represents the force of blood pressing against the blood vessel walls when the heart is contracting. The bottom number represents the pressure when the heart is at rest between contractions. You should keep your blood pressure below 140/90 unless your doctor sets a different goal. Controlling your blood pressure can help protect your heart and kidneys.

High blood pressure is not only a cause of kidney disease; kidney disease is also a cause of high blood pressure. When you have damaged kidneys, they may be unable to filter extra water and salt from your body. The high blood pressure that results can then make kidney disease worse. Worsening kidney disease can raise blood pressure again. A dangerous cycle results as each disease makes the other worse.

Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Additional Materials (2)

0:23

Is there a connection between heart disease and kidney disease?

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)/YouTube

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Blausen.com staff (2014). "Medical gallery of Blausen Medical 2014

Kidney Tests

Urine Test

Image by frolicsomepl/Pixabay

What Are the Tests for Kidney Disease?

Tests for kidney disease include a blood test and a urine test. Both tests can be done in your doctor’s office or at a commercial facility.

The blood test checks your GFR, which tells how well your kidneys are filtering. GFR stands for glomerular filtration rate.
The urine test checks for albumin in your urine. Albumin is a protein that can pass into the urine when the kidneys are damaged.

If these tests show you have kidney disease, you may need to repeat these tests on a regular basis.

Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Additional Materials (2)

How can I be tested for kidney disease?

Video by Joslin Diabetes Center/YouTube

Healthy vs Damaged Kidney

A healthy kidney doesn’t let albumin pass into the urine. A damaged kidney lets some albumin pass into the urine. Urine Test for Albumin If you are at risk for kidney disease, your provider may check your urine for albumin. Albumin is a protein found in your blood. A healthy kidney doesn’t let albumin pass into the urine. A damaged kidney lets some albumin pass into the urine. The less albumin in your urine, the better. Having albumin in the urine is called albuminuria. A diagram showing a healthy kidney with albumin only found in blood, and a damaged kidney that has albumin in both blood and urine. A healthy kidney doesn’t let albumin pass into the urine. A damaged kidney lets some albumin pass into the urine. A health care provider can check for albumin in your urine in two ways: Dipstick test for albumin. A provider uses a urine sample to look for albumin in your urine. You collect the urine sample in a container in a health care provider’s office or lab. For the test, a provider places a strip of chemically treated paper, called a dipstick, into the urine. The dipstick changes color if albumin is present in the urine. Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). This test measures and compares the amount of albumin with the amount of creatinine in your urine sample. Providers use your UACR to estimate how much albumin would pass into your urine over 24 hours. A urine albumin result of 30 mg/g or less is normal more than 30 mg/g may be a sign of kidney disease If you have albumin in your urine, your provider may want you to repeat the urine test one or two more times to confirm the results. Talk with your provider about what your specific numbers mean for you. If you have kidney disease, measuring the albumin in your urine helps your provider know which treatment is best for you. A urine albumin level that stays the same or goes down may mean that treatments are working.

Image by The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases/NIH

1:40

How can I be tested for kidney disease?

Joslin Diabetes Center/YouTube

Healthy vs Damaged Kidney

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases/NIH

Kidney Function Panel

Kidney Function Panel

Also called: Kidney Panel, Renal Function Panel, Renal Panel

Your kidneys filter and clean your blood. Kidney tests include blood, urine, and imaging tests that doctors use to diagnose and monitor kidney diseases.

Kidney Function Panel

Also called: Kidney Panel, Renal Function Panel, Renal Panel

Your kidneys filter and clean your blood. Kidney tests include blood, urine, and imaging tests that doctors use to diagnose and monitor kidney diseases.

Because your kidneys remove waste, toxins, and extra fluid from the blood, a doctor will use a blood test to check your kidney function. The blood tests will show how well your kidneys are doing their job and how quickly the waste is being removed. Here are a few blood tests that are used:
Serum creatinine. A serum creatinine blood test measures the amount of creatinine in your blood. If your kidneys are not working like they should, your serum creatinine level goes up. Normal levels for you will depend on your sex, age, and the amount of muscle mass your body has.
Usually a creatinine level more than 1.2 for women and more than 1.4 for men may be a sign that the kidneys are not working like they should. If your serum creatinine test results are higher than normal, your doctor may want to run other tests.
Glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The GFR is a measure of how well your kidneys remove waste, toxins, and extra fluid from your blood. Your serum creatinine level, age, and sex are used to calculate your GFR number. Like other kidney tests, a normal GFR number for you will depend on your age and sex. If your GFR is low, your kidneys are likely not working as they should. As kidney disease progresses, your GFR goes down. The results of your test can mean the following:
- If you have a GFR number of 60 or more together with a normal urine albumin test, you are in the normal range. But you’ll still want to talk to your doctor about when you should be checked again.
- If you have a GFR number less than 60, it may mean you have kidney disease. You’ll want to talk to your doctor about treatment options that are best for you.
- If you have a GFR number less than 15, it may mean your kidneys are failing. If your results show kidney failure, you’ll likely need dialysis or a kidney transplant. You should know that if your GFR level is less than 20 consistently over a 6- to 12-month period, as a precaution, your doctor may consider you for a kidney transplant.
Blood urea nitrogen (BUN). This test measures the amount of urea nitrogen in your blood. Urea nitrogen is a waste product your body makes from the breakdown of protein in the foods you eat. Healthy kidneys filter urea nitrogen out of your blood and it leaves your body through your urine. This process helps keep your BUN level within a normal range. A normal level of urea nitrogen will depend on your age and other health conditions you may have, but usually ranges from 7 to 20. If your levels are higher than normal, this may be a sign that your kidneys are not working as well as they should. As kidney disease progresses, your BUN level goes up.
If your BUN level reveals signs of kidney disease, your doctor will use your BUN test results, along with other tests, to decide on a treatment plan that best fits your needs.
1. Kidney Testing: Everything You Need to Know | CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mar 24, 2022 [accessed on Jan 14, 2024]
2. Renal Panel Test - Testing.com. Sep 27, 2022 [accessed on Jan 14, 2024]

Additional Materials (35)

Kidney Function Tests and Interpretation of Results.

Video by Medcrine Medical/YouTube

Stages of Kidney Disease

Video by UC San Diego Health/YouTube

✔✔✔ What is BUN and Creatinine - Kidney Function Test ✔✔✔

Video by NKN/YouTube

How can I be tested for kidney disease?

Video by Joslin Diabetes Center/YouTube

Testing and Treatment for Kidney Disease

Video by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)/YouTube

BUN and Creatinine

Video by PhysioPathoPharmaco/YouTube

Conquering Lab Interpretation: Basic Metabolic Panel & Renal Labs - MED-ED

Video by MED-ED/YouTube

Drawing of GFR dial

Intended for use by providers when explaining estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) results, this dial shows how certain eGFR values fall into healthy and unhealthy ranges. A GFR that is = 60 or higher is in the normal range. A GFR below 60 may mean kidney disease. A GFR of 15 or lower may mean kidney failure.

Image by NIDDK Image Library

Creatinine

Measuring serum creatinine is a simple test, and it is the most commonly used indicator of renal function.

Image by TheVisualMD

Understanding GFR - Glomerular Filtration Rate

Diagram showing the basic physiologic mechanisms of the kidney

Image by Madhero88

Sensitive content

This media may include sensitive content

Diagram showing how the kidneys work

Diagram showing how the kidneys work

Image by Cancer Research UK / Wikimedia Commons

Kidneys and EPO

Top: process of normal red blood cell production with a healthy kidney. Bottom: process of reduced red blood cell production with a damaged kidney. Healthy kidneys produce a hormone called EPO. EPO prompts the bone marrow to make red blood cells, which then carry oxygen throughout the body. When the kidneys are diseased or damaged, they do not make enough EPO. As a result, the bone marrow makes fewer red blood cells, causing anemia.

Image by NIDDK Image Library

Kidney with ACKD

Drawing of a male torso with kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra labeled, and a drawing below of a kidney with sacs of fluid labeled as cysts. Acquired cystic kidney disease happens when a person's kidneys develop fluid-filled sacs called cysts.

Image by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Kidney and Stem Cell Creating Red Blood Cell

Kidney and Stem Cell Creating Red Blood Cell : We are used to thinking of our kidneys mostly as hardworking filters that rid our bodies of wastes and excess water. But the kidneys are also constantly monitoring and adjusting levels of key substances in the blood, depending on what the body needs. Specialized cells in the kidney that are very sensitive to low oxygen levels, for example, produce a hormone called erythropoietin (EPO), which in turn promotes the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. The boost in red blood cells increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

Image by TheVisualMD

Healthy vs Damaged Kidney

A healthy kidney doesn’t let albumin pass into the urine. A damaged kidney lets some albumin pass into the urine. Urine Test for Albumin If you are at risk for kidney disease, your provider may check your urine for albumin. Albumin is a protein found in your blood. A healthy kidney doesn’t let albumin pass into the urine. A damaged kidney lets some albumin pass into the urine. The less albumin in your urine, the better. Having albumin in the urine is called albuminuria. A diagram showing a healthy kidney with albumin only found in blood, and a damaged kidney that has albumin in both blood and urine. A healthy kidney doesn’t let albumin pass into the urine. A damaged kidney lets some albumin pass into the urine. A health care provider can check for albumin in your urine in two ways: Dipstick test for albumin. A provider uses a urine sample to look for albumin in your urine. You collect the urine sample in a container in a health care provider’s office or lab. For the test, a provider places a strip of chemically treated paper, called a dipstick, into the urine. The dipstick changes color if albumin is present in the urine. Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). This test measures and compares the amount of albumin with the amount of creatinine in your urine sample. Providers use your UACR to estimate how much albumin would pass into your urine over 24 hours. A urine albumin result of 30 mg/g or less is normal more than 30 mg/g may be a sign of kidney disease If you have albumin in your urine, your provider may want you to repeat the urine test one or two more times to confirm the results. Talk with your provider about what your specific numbers mean for you. If you have kidney disease, measuring the albumin in your urine helps your provider know which treatment is best for you. A urine albumin level that stays the same or goes down may mean that treatments are working.

Image by The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases/NIH

Renal Circulation

Kidney Cortex, cross section : The cortex is the outermost region of the kidney. It is densely packed with winding blood vessels, convoluted tubules, and collecting ducts.

Image by TheVisualMD

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

Diseased Kidney : This visualization is the anterior view of an unhealthy kidney, damaged from chronic kidney disease and hypertension. This kidney exhibits a severe case of stage five chronic kidney disease (CKD). Shrinkage of the kidney and increased granulation and scarring on the surface are visible.

Image by TheVisualMD

When kidneys are diseased or damaged, their ability to filter out proteins is compromised, which allows protein to then leak into urine.

Urine Total Protein Test for Diseased Glomerulus : The kidneys' delicate filtration units are called nephrons; each kidney has about a million nephrons, and within each nephron are dense forests of tiny capillaries called glomeruli, which remove waste products from the blood while preventing the loss of other components, including proteins, which are recycled in the body. When kidneys are diseased or damaged, however, their ability to filter out proteins is compromised, which allows protein to then leak into urine.

Image by TheVisualMD

Diagram of two kidneys (healthy vs polycystic)

The healthy kidney on the lower right is smooth. The polycystic kidney on the upper left has many fluid-filled sacs on the surface. Labels point to the ureter and cysts on the polycystic kidney. The polycystic kidney roughly retains the same shape as the healthy kidney.

Image by NIDDK Image Library

Kidney and Adrenal Gland

The kidney (including the surrounding fibrous tissue and fat layer, the renal pelvis, and the ureter) and the adrenal gland, as well as a close-up view of the renal pelvis. Image is included in this publication: See also http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/wyntk/kidney.

Image by National Cancer Institute / Alan Hoofring (Illustrator)

Healthy and Diseased Kidney Comparison

Each day the kidneys filter 200 quarts of blood, removing toxins and excess salts to produce about 2 quarts of waste and excess water as urine. The kidneys also play a critical role in maintaining the body's equilibrium by constantly adjusting the levels of key chemicals in the blood such as sodium, phosphorus, and potassium. The kidneys monitor oxygen levels in the blood, and respond to low oxygen levels by releasing the hormone erythropoietin (EPO). Chronic kidney disease (CKD) occurs when the kidneys are increasingly unable to balance levels of electrolytes (like sodium or calcium) and fail to produce enough urine to eliminate toxins and wastes from the blood. Diabetes and hypertension account for 65% of cases of CKD. Kidney damage can easily go unnoticed until the condition is advanced and kidneys are working at just 15% of their normal capacity.

Image by TheVisualMD

Angiogram Showing Artery of Abdomen and Kidney

This angiogram depicts the kidneys, renal vasculature and the major abdominal arteries.

Image by TheVisualMD

Kidney and Nephron

Schematics of kidney and nephron. 1: Renal cortex. 2: Medulla. 3: Renal artery. 4: Renal vein. 5: Ureter. 6: Nephrons. 7: Afferent arteriole. 8: Glomerulus. 9: Bowman’s capsule. 10: Tubuli and loop of Henle. 11: Efferent arteriole. 12: Peritubular capillaries.

Image by File:Physiology_of_Nephron.svg: Madhero88 File:KidneyStructures_PioM.svg: Piotr Michał Jaworski; PioM EN DE PL derivative work: Daniel Sachse (Antares42)

Abdomen Revealing Kidney with Chronic Kidney Disease

Right Lateral view of male abdomen visualizing kidney with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Visible: right hand and aorta.

Image by TheVisualMD

Kidney and Stem Cell Creating Red Blood Cell. B12 is critical for the creation of red blood cells.

We are used to thinking of our kidneys mostly as hardworking filters that rid our bodies of wastes and excess water. But the kidneys are also constantly monitoring and adjusting levels of key substances in the blood, depending on what the body needs. Specialized cells in the kidney that are very sensitive to low oxygen levels, for example, produce a hormone called erythropoietin (EPO), which in turn promotes the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. The boost in red blood cells increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

Image by TheVisualMD

Left Kidney with Adhesive Bandage

Editorial image: managing CKD, repairing and preventing kidney damage

Image by TheVisualMD

Hands Holding Glowing Glass Kidney

Editorial image of two hands holding a glowing glass kidney

Image by TheVisualMD

Spine Between Right and Left Kidney and Ureter

Image showing the anterior view of the kidneys and ureters in relation with skeletal system.

Image by TheVisualMD

Diseased and Aging Kidney Tissue Comparisons

As a person ages, the number of nephrons, the kidneys' vital filters, decreases, as does the overall amount of tissue in the kidneys. A healthy aging kidney will not function like a 20-year-old kidney, but it can still do its job. The difference between an aging kidney in a healthy body and a kidney damaged by hypertension or diabetes can be as stark as the difference between someone who is a picture of health and someone who is debilitated by illness.

Image by TheVisualMD

Female Torso Revealing Kidney

Posterior view of female torso with urinary tract (kidneys, ureters, bladder)

Image by TheVisualMD

What are the symptoms of kidney stones?

Kidney Stones causing Back Pain : Most types of kidney disease, such as those caused by high blood pressure and diabetes, don't cause pain. Kidney stones and infections do cause pain. Although the pain actually originates in the organ, it may seem to come from the back or from other parts of your body. Pain caused by your kidneys is usually felt in your flank area, at the lower edge of the ribs and on either side of the spine. Kidney pain is usually sharp and severe, and it generally occurs in waves.

Image by TheVisualMD

The Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease

The Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease : Because CKD can progress for years with few or no symptoms, anyone with risk factors should be routinely tested. There are three main types of tests for CKD: urine, blood, and imaging tests. Tests for CKD look for substances that normally are low or missing in the blood or urine, like protein and nitrogen. Other tests look for chemical imbalances or anemia. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the standard means of expressing overall kidney function. Patients are divided into five stages of chronic kidney disease based on their GFR. In the first four stages the kidneys are still working, but function lessens with each successive stage. In stage 5, kidney failure, the kidneys stop functioning altogether.

Image by TheVisualMD

Urinalysis

Kidneys and Related Conditions : The value of routine urinalysis is that abnormal levels of substances such as protein or glucose, for example, will often appear in the urine before patients are aware they may have a problem. It is also used to detect disorders of the urinary tract, most commonly infections. Abnormal urine screens are typically followed up by more specific diagnostic tests.

Image by TheVisualMD

Kidney Cancer

Kidney Cancer

Image by BruceBlaus

The Kidneys and Osmoregulatory Organs

The nephron is the functional unit of the kidney. The glomerulus and convoluted tubules are located in the kidney cortex, while collecting ducts are located in the pyramids of the medulla. (credit: modification of work by NIDDK)

Image by CNX Openstax (credit: modification of work by NIDDK)

15:01

Kidney Function Tests and Interpretation of Results.

Medcrine Medical/YouTube

6:58

Stages of Kidney Disease

UC San Diego Health/YouTube

8:29

✔✔✔ What is BUN and Creatinine - Kidney Function Test ✔✔✔

NKN/YouTube

1:40

How can I be tested for kidney disease?

Joslin Diabetes Center/YouTube

1:09

Testing and Treatment for Kidney Disease

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)/YouTube

5:26

BUN and Creatinine

PhysioPathoPharmaco/YouTube

1:04:51

Conquering Lab Interpretation: Basic Metabolic Panel & Renal Labs - MED-ED

MED-ED/YouTube

Drawing of GFR dial

NIDDK Image Library

Creatinine

TheVisualMD

Understanding GFR - Glomerular Filtration Rate

Madhero88

Sensitive content

This media may include sensitive content

Diagram showing how the kidneys work

Cancer Research UK / Wikimedia Commons

Kidneys and EPO

NIDDK Image Library

Kidney with ACKD

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Kidney and Stem Cell Creating Red Blood Cell

TheVisualMD

Healthy vs Damaged Kidney

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases/NIH

Renal Circulation

TheVisualMD

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

TheVisualMD

When kidneys are diseased or damaged, their ability to filter out proteins is compromised, which allows protein to then leak into urine.

TheVisualMD

Diagram of two kidneys (healthy vs polycystic)

NIDDK Image Library

Kidney and Adrenal Gland

National Cancer Institute / Alan Hoofring (Illustrator)

Healthy and Diseased Kidney Comparison

TheVisualMD

Angiogram Showing Artery of Abdomen and Kidney

TheVisualMD

Kidney and Nephron

File:Physiology_of_Nephron.svg: Madhero88 File:KidneyStructures_PioM.svg: Piotr Michał Jaworski; PioM EN DE PL derivative work: Daniel Sachse (Antares42)

Abdomen Revealing Kidney with Chronic Kidney Disease

TheVisualMD

Kidney and Stem Cell Creating Red Blood Cell. B12 is critical for the creation of red blood cells.

TheVisualMD

Left Kidney with Adhesive Bandage

TheVisualMD

Hands Holding Glowing Glass Kidney

TheVisualMD

Spine Between Right and Left Kidney and Ureter

TheVisualMD

Diseased and Aging Kidney Tissue Comparisons

TheVisualMD

Female Torso Revealing Kidney

TheVisualMD

What are the symptoms of kidney stones?

TheVisualMD

The Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease

TheVisualMD

Urinalysis

TheVisualMD

Kidney Cancer

BruceBlaus

The Kidneys and Osmoregulatory Organs

CNX Openstax (credit: modification of work by NIDDK)

Glucose

Blood Glucose Test

Also called: Blood Sugar Level, Glucose Test, Random Plasma Glucose, Random Glucose, Random Blood Glucose (RPG)

A blood glucose test measures the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood. It may be used to help diagnose or monitor diabetes. The test can involve a finger prick or a blood draw from your vein.

Blood Glucose Test

Also called: Blood Sugar Level, Glucose Test, Random Plasma Glucose, Random Glucose, Random Blood Glucose (RPG)

A blood glucose test measures the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood. It may be used to help diagnose or monitor diabetes. The test can involve a finger prick or a blood draw from your vein.

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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mg/dL
70
100
125
Your result is Normal.
A healthy (normal) fasting blood glucose level for someone without diabetes is 70 to 99 mg/dL (3.9 to 5.5 mmol/L). Values between 50 and 70 mg/dL (2.8 to 3.9 mmol/L) for people without diabetes can be "normal" too.
Related conditions
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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mg/dL
80
140
200
Your result is Normal.
In a random blood glucose test, a normal result depends on when you last ate. You may start your day at below 100 mg/dL in the morning before breakfast and your blood glucose may rise as high as 140 mg/dL about 2 hours after meals during the day. Most of the time, the blood glucose level will be below 125 mg/dL (6.9 mmol/L).
Related conditions
{"label":"Glucose (postprandial) reference range","scale":"lin","step":0.1,"hideunits":false,"items":[{"flag":"normal","label":{"short":"Normal","long":"Normal","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":65,"max":140},"text":"Within 2 hours of eating, your insulin and blood glucose levels should return to normal. Normal blood glucose values in people who don't have diabetes are less than 140 mg\/dL, and in people with diabetes are less than 180 mg\/dL.","conditions":[]},{"flag":"abnormal","label":{"short":"High","long":"High","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":140,"max":200},"text":"If your blood glucose level is still high 2 hours after you've eaten, it could mean you have diabetes.","conditions":["High blood sugar","Type 2 diabetes"]}],"units":[{"printSymbol":"mg\/dL","code":"mg\/dL","name":"milligram per deciliter"}],"value":102.5,"disclaimer":"Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are \"within normal limits.\""}[{"normal":0},{"abnormal":0}]
Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mg/dL
140
Your result is Normal.
Within 2 hours of eating, your insulin and blood glucose levels should return to normal. Normal blood glucose values in people who don't have diabetes are less than 140 mg/dL, and in people with diabetes are less than 180 mg/dL.
Related conditions
Your health care provider may order a blood glucose test if you have symptoms of high glucose levels or low glucose levels.
Symptoms of high blood glucose levels include:
- Increased thirst and urination (peeing)
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue
- Sores that don't heal
- Weight loss when you're not trying to lose weight
- Numbness or tingling in your feet or hands
Symptoms of low blood glucose levels include:
- Feeling shaky or jittery
- Hunger
- Fatigue
- Feeling dizzy, confused, or irritable
- Headache
- A fast heartbeat or arrhythmia (a problem with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat)
- Having trouble seeing or speaking clearly
- Fainting or seizures
You may also need a blood glucose test if you have a high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. You're more likely to develop diabetes if you:
- Are overweight or have obesity
- Are age 45 or older
- Have a family history of diabetes
- Have high blood pressure
- Don't exercise enough
- Have a history of heart disease or stroke
- Have had gestational diabetes (diabetes that happens only during pregnancy)
If you are pregnant, you will likely get a blood glucose test between the 24th and 28th week of your pregnancy to check for gestational diabetes.
A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out.
For some types of glucose blood tests, you will drink a sugary liquid and wait for an hour before your blood sample is taken:
- A glucose challenge test is used to test for gestational diabetes in pregnancy. If your blood glucose level is higher than normal, you may have gestational diabetes. You'll need an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to get a diagnosis.
- An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is used to diagnose gestational diabetes, and type 2 diabetes and prediabetes in people who aren't pregnant. A blood sample will be taken before you have a sugary drink and then again, every hour for the next 2 or 3 hours.
If your results show higher than normal glucose levels, it may mean you have or are at risk for getting diabetes. High glucose levels may also be a sign of:
- Hyperthyroidism
- Pancreas disorders
- Stress from surgery, very serious illness, or trauma
If you have diabetes, lower than normal glucose levels may be caused by:
- Side effects from certain diabetes medicines
- Not eating enough, especially after taking diabetes medicine
- Being more physically active than usual
If you don't have diabetes, low blood glucose levels may be a sign of:
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Underactive adrenal, pituitary, or thyroid gland (hypothyroidism)
- Alcohol use disorder (AUD)
If your glucose results are not normal, it doesn't always mean you have a medical condition that needs treatment. Certain medicines and stress can affect glucose levels. To learn what your test results mean, talk with your health care provider.
If you have diabetes, you may need to do blood sugar testing at home every day to help manage your blood glucose levels. There are two ways to do this:
- Blood glucose meters require you to prick your finger with a small device called a lancet. You apply a drop of blood to a test strip and insert it into a small, electronic glucose meter, which measures the glucose is in your blood.
- Continuous glucose monitors (CGM) use a tiny sensor that you insert under your skin. Every few minutes, the sensor measures glucose levels in fluids between your cells. If your glucose is too high or too low, you use a blood glucose meter to check your blood levels before making changes to raise or lower your glucose level.
1. Blood sugar test: Health Article | MedlinePlus - NIH [accessed on Sep 07, 2018]
2. Random glucose test - Wikipedia [accessed on Sep 07, 2018]
3. 001032: Glucose | LabCorp [accessed on Sep 07, 2018]
4. 001818: Glucose, Plasma | LabCorp [accessed on Sep 07, 2018]
5. 090400: Diabetes Risk–Asymptomatic Adults | LabCorp [accessed on Sep 07, 2018]
6. Glucose (Blood) - Health Encyclopedia - University of Rochester Medical Center [accessed on Sep 07, 2018]
7. Blood Glucose Test: MedlinePlus Medical Test [accessed on Dec 12, 2022]

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

Additional Materials (12)

Glucose: Pancreas

The pancreas is a large gland (located behind the stomach) that secretes digestive enzymes into the duodenum (small intestine), which then combine with bile, produced in the liver. The pancreas also produces the hormone insulin, which helps control blood sugar levels.

Image by TheVisualMD

Glucose: Neurons (Utilize Glucose)

Our brains need a continuous supply of fuel in the form of glucose because they can't store energy as fat or glycogen. Though the brain represents only about 2% of the body's mass, it consumes 60% of the sugar coursing through our bloodstreams.

Image by TheVisualMD

Glucose: Insulin & Glucose

The body's ability to use glucose depends on the hormone insulin, produced by the pancreas. Blood levels of glucose rise after meals, but insulin keeps glucose levels within a narrow range; excess glucose is stored in the liver as glycogen.

Image by TheVisualMD

Molecular structure of glucose | Macromolecules | Biology | Khan Academy

Video by Khan Academy/YouTube

Glucose Insulin and Diabetes

Video by Khan Academy/YouTube

How do carbohydrates impact your health? - Richard J. Wood

Video by TED-Ed/YouTube

Diabetes and insulin injection

There are 3 main types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes develops when the body's immune system destroys the pancreatic cells that produce the hormone insulin. Type 2 diabetes develops when cells can no longer use insulin effectively, which can result in the pancreas gradually losing its ability to produce insulin. Both types of diabetes can require insulin injections to compensate for this deficiency. A third type, gestational diabetes, is a form of glucose intolerance that appears in some women during pregnancy.

Image by TheVisualMD

This browser does not support the video element.

Blood Glucose and Baselining Your Health

Our bodies and brains run on glucose, a simple sugar produced by the digestion of carbohydrates. The body's ability to use glucose depends on the hormone insulin, which is produced by the pancreas. Blood sugar levels naturally rise after meals, but insulin from a healthy pancreas keeps these levels within a narrow range. In diabetes, however, this balance is disrupted because either the body loses its ability to respond to insulin or the pancreas loses its ability to produce insulin. Too much or too little glucose in the bloodstream can damage blood vessels in the kidneys and eyes, as well as nerve cells; acute disruptions of the insulin/glucose balance can be life threatening. Blood and urine tests can determine whether someone is diabetic or pre-diabetic. Diabetes is looming as a major public health concern; an estimated 25 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, with more than a quarter of them undiagnosed.

Video by TheVisualMD

This browser does not support the video element.

Fasting Plasma Glucose

The fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test, also known as the fasting blood sugar test, measures blood sugar levels and is used to diagnose diabetes.

Video by TheVisualMD

This browser does not support the video element.

What Is Type 2 Diabetes?

Go deep inside your body to see how type 2 diabetes happens, what it does to your body-and what you can do about it. Diabetes expert Dr. David Katz of the Yale Prevention Research Center talks about the frightening future of diabetes: in just a few decades, one third of all Americans may have diabetes. See the pancreas, where insulin is produced. Real imaging data reveals the body's inner anatomy slice by slice, from brain to base of spine. Dr. Cynthia Geyer of Canyon Ranch talks about how insulin resistance develops. View its results, as visceral abdominal fat builds up and chokes the vital organs. Discover the symptoms of type 2 diabetes and find out if you should be tested. See the complications of diabetes, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, vision damage, kidney disease, and gangrene. The good news? Diabetes is a highly manageable disease. Dr. Mark Liponis of Canyon Ranch talks about controlling your risk for type 2 diabetes and, by managing it, reversing its symptoms and literally slowing the aging process.

Video by TheVisualMD

This browser does not support the video element.

What are Carbohydrates?

Most of the foods we consume, including fruits and vegetables, contain carbohydrates. Once metabolized, these macronutrients become the body's primary source of energy, providing food to cells. And while nature never produced any "good" or "bad" carbs, it's also true that excessive carbohydrate consumption can lead to unwanted weight gain. Before you strike carbs from your diet, though, learn more about how this important nutrient supports your good health.

Video by TheVisualMD

This browser does not support the video element.

Simple Carbohydrates

Because only the smallest molecules of sugar can pass through the intestinal walls and into the blood stream, foods ingested as simple carbohydrates (single- and double-molecule sugars) can be used immediately while complex carbohydrates (three or more molecules) require more time and action to break down and be absorbed. Some simple sugars occur naturally in vegetables, milk, honey, and other unprocessed foods. Synthetic sweeteners such as corn syrup and high fructose are simple sugars as well. Simple carbs cause a rapid rise and fall in glucose, leaving you feeling hungry faster.

Video by TheVisualMD

Glucose: Pancreas

TheVisualMD

Glucose: Neurons (Utilize Glucose)

TheVisualMD

Glucose: Insulin & Glucose

TheVisualMD

9:19

Molecular structure of glucose | Macromolecules | Biology | Khan Academy

Khan Academy/YouTube

7:24

Glucose Insulin and Diabetes

Khan Academy/YouTube

5:11

How do carbohydrates impact your health? - Richard J. Wood

TED-Ed/YouTube

Diabetes and insulin injection

TheVisualMD

1:36

Blood Glucose and Baselining Your Health

TheVisualMD

0:23

Fasting Plasma Glucose

TheVisualMD

4:22

What Is Type 2 Diabetes?

TheVisualMD

1:11

What are Carbohydrates?

TheVisualMD

1:09

Simple Carbohydrates

TheVisualMD

Phosphate

Phosphate Blood Test

Also called: Phosphate Blood Levels, Phosphorus, PO4

A phosphate in blood test measures the level of phosphate in your blood. Phosphate blood levels that are too high or too low can be a sign of kidney disease or other serious health problems.

Phosphate Blood Test

Also called: Phosphate Blood Levels, Phosphorus, PO4

A phosphate in blood test measures the level of phosphate in your blood. Phosphate blood levels that are too high or too low can be a sign of kidney disease or other serious health problems.

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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mg/dL
1
2.5
4.5
Your result is Normal.
The terms phosphate and phosphorus can mean the same thing in test results. So your results may show phosphorus levels rather than phosphate levels.
Related conditions
A phosphate in blood test measures the amount of phosphate in a sample of your blood. Phosphate contains the mineral phosphorus. So, a phosphate test is sometimes called a phosphorus test.
Phosphate is a type of electrolyte. Electrolytes are electrically charged minerals. They help control the amount of fluid and the balance of acids and bases (pH balance) in your body. Your body also needs phosphates for many other important processes, such as:
- Building strong bones and teeth. Most of the phosphate in your body is found in your bones where it is combined with the mineral calcium.
- Making energy.
- Helping your nerves and muscles work properly.
The phosphorus in phosphate comes from the foods you eat, including nuts and seeds, dairy products, dried beans, meats, poultry, and eggs. Your body tightly controls the amount of phosphate in your blood mainly through your:
- Kidneys. They filter extra phosphate from your blood and get rid of it through urine (pee). If your phosphate level is low, your kidneys limit the amount lost through urine.
- Intestines. They control how much phosphorous you absorb from the foods you eat.
The amount of phosphate in your blood is also linked to your levels of:
- Calcium. When blood calcium levels increase, phosphate levels decrease. And when calcium levels decrease, phosphate levels increase.
- Vitamin D. It helps your body use phosphate.
- Parathyroid hormone (PTH). This hormone is made by parathyroid glands in your neck. It helps balance phosphate and calcium levels in your blood.
Abnormal phosphate levels may be a sign of problems with the systems in your body that control phosphate levels. To help understand the cause of abnormal levels, the test is often done with blood tests that measure calcium, vitamin D, and PTH.
Other names: phosphorus test, P, PO4, phosphorus-serum, phosphate, inorganic phosphorus
A phosphate in blood test is often used with other tests to help diagnose and/or monitor:
- Kidney disease, especially chronic kidney disease. High phosphate levels are a common sign that the kidneys aren't working well to get rid of extra phosphate in the blood.
- Bone disorders. High phosphate levels can pull calcium out of bones and weaken them over time.
- Parathyroid disorders. Parathyroid hormones control the balance of phosphate and calcium in the blood. A phosphate test can help show how well the parathyroid glands are working.
A phosphate test may also be used to monitor people who:
- Have diabetes that isn't well controlled
- Have signs of an acid-base imbalance (having too much or too little acid in your blood)
Phosphate levels that are either high or mildly low usually don't cause any symptoms on their own. But you may need a phosphate test with other tests if you:
- Have had an abnormal result on a calcium blood test. A calcium test may be part of a routine exam. Abnormal levels are often linked to abnormal phosphate levels.
- Have symptoms of low calcium levels. High levels of phosphate can lower calcium levels in your blood, which can cause symptoms, such as:
  Nails that break easily, and/or hair that becomes coarse
  Rash and/or itchy skin
  Muscle cramps
  Bone pain
  Seizures
  Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
- Have symptoms of severely low phosphate levels. This condition can become life-threatening and needs immediate treatment. Symptoms may include:
  Muscle pain and/or weakness
  Bone pain
  Changes in your mental condition, such as feeling confused or very irritable
  Seizures
  Coma
You may also need to have your phosphate levels checked if you have or may have a condition that can cause abnormal phosphate levels, such as:
- Kidney disease
- Malnutrition
- Malabsorption syndrome
- A parathyroid gland disorder
- Using certain medicines
The results of your phosphate test may say "phosphorus levels" or "phosphate levels." These terms mean the same thing. The meaning of your test results depends on your symptoms, medical history, and the results of other tests.
In general:
A higher than normal phosphate level is called hyperphosphatemia. High levels are linked to many conditions, including:
- Late stages of chronic kidney disease and kidney failure. If damaged kidneys can't filter out extra phosphate, it can build up in your blood. If you have a condition that affects your kidneys, eating too much phosphorus-rich food may also lead to high phosphate levels.
- Hypoparathyroidism. With this condition, your parathyroid glands don't make enough parathyroid hormone (PTH). When PTH is low, calcium levels are low and phosphate levels are high.
- Acidosis. This means having too much acid in your blood from a pH imbalance. It may be caused by a lung disorder or other health conditions, including kidney disease.
- Long-term use of certain medicines. These include steroids, laxatives, and enemas that contain phosphate.
A lower than normal phosphate level is called hypophosphatemia. Mildly low levels often aren't a health problem. But many conditions that cause low levels may need treatment, including:
- Hyperparathyroidism. With this condition, your parathyroid glands make too much parathyroid hormone, which leads to high levels of blood calcium and low levels of phosphate.
- Vitamin D deficiency. A lack of this vitamin can lead to osteomalacia, a condition that causes soft bones. In children, this condition is called rickets.
- Getting too little phosphorus from food. This is uncommon in the U.S. But some people are more likely to have trouble getting enough phosphorus, including:
  Premature babies
  People who have certain rare genetic disorders, severe malnutrition, alcohol use disorder, or problems absorbing nutrients
- Long-term use of certain medicines. These include antacids that contain aluminum hydroxide or calcium carbonate and certain prescription diuretics ("water pills").
If your phosphate levels are not normal, it doesn't always mean you have a medical condition that needs treatment. Also, children often have higher phosphate levels because their bones are still growing. If you have questions about your results, talk with your provider.
1. https://www.labcorp.com/test-menu/33136/phosphorus [accessed on Sep 07, 2019]
2. https://www.mayocliniclabs.com/test-catalog/Clinical+and+Interpretive/8408 [accessed on Sep 07, 2019]

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

Additional Materials (11)

Phosphorus Test and Phosphorus Rich Foods

Phosphorus Test and Phosphorus Rich Foods : The phosphorus test is used to monitor the levels of phosphorus in the blood. Most of the body's phosphorus is in a form combined with calcium to help form bones and teeth, but it is also found in muscle, nerve tissue, and, in tiny but crucial amounts, within cells throughout the body, where it is a component of key molecules such as DNA. A wide variety of foods, such as meat, eggs, fish, dairy, beans, peas, nuts, and grains contain significant amounts of phosphorus. Plant-based sources of phosphorus, however, are less available to the body because we lack digestive enzymes to fully utilize them.

Image by TheVisualMD

Phosphorus: Tooth

Along with calcium, phosphorus is an important building block of teeth.

Image by TheVisualMD

Phosphorus: Heart Function

Phosphorus assists in the contraction of muscles, nerve conduction and the regulation of heartbeat. Using phosphorus supplements along with potassium supplements may elevate potassium levels, which can result in life-threatening arrhythmias.

Image by TheVisualMD

Fluid & Electrolytes: Phosphate

Video by EmpoweRN/YouTube

Plate of High Phosphorus Food

Most of the body's phosphorus is in a form combined with calcium to help form bones and teeth, but it is also found in muscle, nerve tissue, and, in tiny but crucial amounts, within cells throughout the body, where it is a component of key molecules such as DNA. A wide variety of foods, such as meat, eggs, fish, dairy, beans, peas, nuts, and grains contain significant amounts of phosphorus. Plant-based sources of phosphorus, however, are less available to the body because we lack digestive enzymes to fully utilize them.

Image by TheVisualMD

Phosphorus Ion

Phosphorus is an essential mineral, required by every cell in the body for normal function. It helps filter kidney waste; plays a critical role in energy storage and use; helps with the growth, maintenance, and repair of all tissues, and cells; and is involved in the production of DNA and RNA. Phosphorus aids in the balance and use of many vitamins and minerals. It works closely with calcium to build strong bones and teeth. Phosphorus is found in milk, grains, and protein-rich foods.

Image by TheVisualMD

Phosphate

Space filling model of Phosphate

Image by Benjah-bmm27

Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency (G6PD Deficiency) - English

Video by familyhealthservice/YouTube

Phosphorus, Chronic Alcoholism

Most of the body's phosphorus is in a form combined with calcium to help form bones and teeth, but it is also found in muscle, nerve tissue, and, in tiny but crucial amounts, within cells throughout the body, where it is a component of key molecules such as DNA. About 80% of phosphorus resides in the bones and teeth. Because alcohol can leach phosphorus from the bones, phosphorus deficiency is often associated with alcoholism, especially when combined with malnutrition.

Image by TheVisualMD

Phosphorus, Kidney Failure

Most of the body's phosphorus is in a form combined with calcium to help form bones and teeth, but it is also found in muscle, nerve tissue, and, in tiny but crucial amounts, within cells throughout the body, where it is a component of key molecules such as DNA. Higher-than-normal levels of phosphorus are often caused by kidney disease or a diet that has too much phosphorus and too little calcium; a fine balance must be maintained between dietary calcium and phosphorus for optimum bone density.

Image by TheVisualMD

Phosphorus, Heart Function (EKG)

Most of the body's phosphorus is in a form combined with calcium to help form bones and teeth, but it is also found in muscle, nerve tissue, and, in tiny but crucial amounts, within cells throughout the body, where it is a component of key molecules such as DNA. Phosphorus assists in the contraction of muscles, nerve conduction and the regulation of heartbeat. Using phosphorus supplements along with potassium supplements may elevate potassium levels, which can result in life-threatening arrhythmias.

Image by TheVisualMD

Phosphorus Test and Phosphorus Rich Foods

TheVisualMD

Phosphorus: Tooth

TheVisualMD

Phosphorus: Heart Function

TheVisualMD

6:36

Fluid & Electrolytes: Phosphate

EmpoweRN/YouTube

Plate of High Phosphorus Food

TheVisualMD

Phosphorus Ion

TheVisualMD

Phosphate

Benjah-bmm27

19:27

Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency (G6PD Deficiency) - English

familyhealthservice/YouTube

Phosphorus, Chronic Alcoholism

TheVisualMD

Phosphorus, Kidney Failure

TheVisualMD

Phosphorus, Heart Function (EKG)

TheVisualMD

Calcium

Calcium Blood Test

Also called: Calcium, Hypocalcemia Test, Hypercalcemia Test

A calcium test measures the level of calcium in your blood. Abnormal calcium levels may be a sign of kidney problems, bone disease, thyroid disease, cancer, malnutrition, or another disorder.

Calcium Blood Test

Also called: Calcium, Hypocalcemia Test, Hypercalcemia Test

A calcium test measures the level of calcium in your blood. Abnormal calcium levels may be a sign of kidney problems, bone disease, thyroid disease, cancer, malnutrition, or another disorder.

{"label":"Calcium (blood) reference range","scale":"lin","step":0.1,"hideunits":false,"items":[{"flag":"abnormal","label":{"short":"Low","long":"Low","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":0,"max":8.2},"text":"Abnormally low levels may result in abdominal cramps, muscle cramps, or tingling fingers.","conditions":["Hypoparathyroidism","Malnutrition","Vitamin D deficiency","Magnesium deficiency","Pancreatitis","Kidney disease","Liver disease","Neurological disorders"]},{"flag":"normal","label":{"short":"Normal","long":"Normal","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":8.2,"max":10.2},"text":"A normal total calcium result supported by other normal findings generally means that your calcium metabolism is normal and blood levels are being appropriately regulated.","conditions":[]},{"flag":"abnormal","label":{"short":"High","long":"High","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":10.2,"max":18},"text":"Abnormally high levels of calcium can result in fatigue, weakness, nausea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, increased thirst and urination.","conditions":["Excess vitamin D intake","Hyperparathyroidism","Paget's disease of the bone","Overuse of antacids","Certain cancers","Sarcoidosis"]}],"units":[{"printSymbol":"mg\/dL","code":"mg\/dL","name":"milligram per deciliter"}],"value":9.2,"disclaimer":"Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are \"within normal limits.\""}[{"abnormal":0},{"normal":0},{"abnormal":0}]
Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mg/dL
8.2
10.2
Your result is Normal.
A normal total calcium result supported by other normal findings generally means that your calcium metabolism is normal and blood levels are being appropriately regulated.
Related conditions
{"label":"Ionized calcium reference range","scale":"lin","step":0.1,"hideunits":false,"items":[{"flag":"abnormal","label":{"short":"Low","long":"Low","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":0,"max":4.5},"text":"Low blood levels of ionized calcium can cause your heart rate to slow down or speed up, cause muscle spasms, and even result in a coma.","conditions":["Hypoparathyroidism","Malabsorption","Osteomalacia","Pancreatitis","Renal failure","Rickets","Vitamin D deficiency"]},{"flag":"normal","label":{"short":"Normal","long":"Normal","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":4.5,"max":5.6},"text":"Ionized calcium levels give more information about active, \"free\" calcium. It may be important to know your ionized calcium levels if you have abnormal levels of proteins, such as albumin, or immunoglobins in your blood.","conditions":[]},{"flag":"abnormal","label":{"short":"High","long":"High","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":5.6,"max":15},"text":"High levels of ionized calcium in your blood may be due to a sedentary lifestyle or lack of mobility, use of medications and supplements or certain medical conditions.","conditions":["Decreased levels of calcium in the urine from an unknown cause","Hyperparathyroidism","Hyperthyroidism","Milk-alkali syndrome","Multiple myeloma","Paget disease","Sarcoidosis","Thiazide diuretics","Thrombocytosis","Certain kind of tumors","Vitamin A excess","Vitamin D excess"]}],"units":[{"printSymbol":"mg\/dL","code":"mg\/dL","name":"milligram per deciliter"}],"value":5.1,"disclaimer":"Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are \"within normal limits.\""}[{"abnormal":0},{"normal":0},{"abnormal":0}]
Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mg/dL
4.5
5.6
Your result is Normal.
Ionized calcium levels give more information about active, "free" calcium. It may be important to know your ionized calcium levels if you have abnormal levels of proteins, such as albumin, or immunoglobins in your blood.
Related conditions
A blood calcium test is used to check your general health. It's also used to help diagnose or monitor many types of medical conditions, including conditions that affect your bones, kidneys, digestive system, thyroid, and parathyroid glands.
There are two types of calcium blood tests that measure different forms of blood calcium:
- Total calcium test measures all the calcium in your blood. You have two types of blood calcium that are normally present in about equal amounts:
  "Bound calcium" is attached to proteins in your blood.
  "Free calcium" is not attached to proteins. It's also called ionized calcium. This form of blood calcium is active in many body functions.
  Normally, your body tightly controls the balance of bound and ionized calcium, so a total calcium test gives a good estimate of how much ionized calcium you have.
  A total calcium test is the most common test for blood calcium. It's often part of a basic metabolic panel (BMP) and a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), which are both routine screening tests.
- An ionized calcium test measures only the "free calcium" in your blood that isn't attached to proteins. An ionized calcium test is more difficult to do, so it's usually ordered if the results of a total calcium test aren't normal. You may also have this test if you have a condition that affects your body's ability to balance the amounts of ionized and bound calcium in your blood, or if you are seriously ill or having surgery.
Your health care provider may have ordered a basic or comprehensive metabolic panel, which includes a calcium blood test, as part of your regular checkup. You may also have this test to diagnose or monitor conditions that can affect your blood calcium or if you have symptoms of abnormal calcium levels.
Symptoms of high calcium levels may include:
- Digestive symptoms, such as:
  Constipation
  Nausea and vomiting
  Abdominal (belly) pain
  Loss of appetite
- Increased thirst
- Urinating (peeing) more than usual
- Kidney stones
- Bone, joint, and muscle symptoms, such as weakness, aches, and pains
- Fatigue
- A change in mental health, such as depression or confusion
Symptoms of low calcium levels may include:
- Dry skin, coarse hair, and nails that easily break (after a long period of low levels)
- Muscle cramps, spasms, or stiffness
- Tingling in the lips, tongue, fingers, and feet
- Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
- Seizures, if calcium levels are extremely low
Many people with high or low calcium levels don't have any symptoms. So your provider may order a calcium test if you have a known condition that may affect your calcium levels, such as:
- Kidney disease
- Thyroid or parathyroid disease
- Malnutrition
- Problems absorbing calcium
- Certain types of cancer
Results from a total calcium test that are higher than normal may be a sign of many types of conditions, such as:
- Overactive parathyroid glands (hyperparathyroidism), a condition in which your parathyroid glands produce too much parathyroid hormone
- Certain types of cancer, including cancer that spreads to the bone
- Bone disorders, including Paget's disease of the bone
- Taking too much vitamin D over a long period of time
Results from a total calcium test that are lower than normal may be a sign of:
- Low blood protein levels, which may be caused by liver disease or malnutrition
- Underactive parathyroid glands (hypoparathyroidism), a condition in which your parathyroid glands produce too little parathyroid hormone
- Too little calcium in your diet
- Too little vitamin D or magnesium
- Pancreatitis
- Kidney disease
If your results from a total calcium blood test are not in the normal range, it doesn't always mean that you have a medical condition that needs treatment. Your diet and certain medicines can affect your calcium levels. If you have questions about your results, talk with your provider.
1. Calcium Blood Test: MedlinePlus Medical Test [accessed on Dec 19, 2023]
2. Blood Tests - Blood Tests | NHLBI, NIH. Mar 24, 2022 [accessed on Dec 19, 2023]
3. Calcium blood test: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [accessed on Dec 19, 2023]
4. Calcium Test - Testing.com. Nov 29, 2022 [accessed on Dec 19, 2023]

Additional Materials (9)

1:12

Electrolytes - What Are Electrolytes - Functions Of Electrolytes

Whats Up Dude/YouTube

2:42

What Do Electrolytes Actually Do?

Reactions/YouTube

8:00

Fluid and Electrolytes: Calcium

EmpoweRN/YouTube

11:47

Hypercalcemia - causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, pathology

Osmosis/YouTube

5:49

Calcium Nursing Considerations, Normal Range, Nursing Care, Lab Values Nursing

NURSINGcom/YouTube

Calcium regulation

Mikael Haggstrom

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body.

TheVisualMD

Dairy and non-dairy food sources of calcium

Brookepinsent

Calcium Ion

TheVisualMD

Potassium

Potassium Blood Test

Also called: Potassium, Hypokalemia Test, Hyperkalemia Test

A potassium blood test measures the potassium levels in your blood. It is often included in a series of routine blood tests called an electrolyte panel. Too much or too little potassium may indicate a serious medical problem.

Potassium Blood Test

Also called: Potassium, Hypokalemia Test, Hyperkalemia Test

A potassium blood test measures the potassium levels in your blood. It is often included in a series of routine blood tests called an electrolyte panel. Too much or too little potassium may indicate a serious medical problem.

{"label":"Potassium reference range","scale":"lin","step":0.1,"hideunits":false,"items":[{"flag":"abnormal","label":{"short":"Hypokalemia","long":"Hypokalemia","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":1,"max":3.5},"text":"Low levels of potassium (hypokalemia) can be caused by vomiting and diarrhea, or the side effects of drugs including, mostly commonly, diuretics.","conditions":["Acute or chronic diarrhea","Cushing syndrome (rare)","Diuretics","Hyperaldosteronism","Hypokalemic periodic paralysis","Not enough potassium in the diet","Renal artery stenosis","Renal tubular acidosis (rare)","Vomiting"]},{"flag":"normal","label":{"short":"Normal","long":"Normal","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":3.5,"max":5},"text":"Potassium is a mineral that your cells, nerves, and muscles need to function properly. It helps your body regulate your blood pressure, heart rhythm and the water content in cells. It also helps with digestion.","conditions":[]},{"flag":"abnormal","label":{"short":"Hyperkalemia","long":"Hyperkalemia","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":5,"max":7},"text":"Too much potassium in the blood is known as hyperkalemia, which is most commonly caused by reduced kidney function, particularly in dialysis patients.","conditions":["Addison disease (rare)","Blood transfusion","Certain medicines","Crushed tissue injury","Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis","Hypoaldosteronism (very rare)","Kidney insufficiency or failure","Metabolic or respiratory acidosis","Red blood cell destruction","Too much potassium in your diet"]}],"units":[{"printSymbol":"meq\/L","code":"meq\/L","name":"milliequivalent per liter"}],"value":4.3,"disclaimer":"Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are \"within normal limits.\""}[{"abnormal":0},{"normal":0},{"abnormal":0}]
Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
meq/L
3.5
5
Your result is Normal.
Potassium is a mineral that your cells, nerves, and muscles need to function properly. It helps your body regulate your blood pressure, heart rhythm and the water content in cells. It also helps with digestion.
Related conditions
Your health care provider may order a potassium blood test as part of your regular checkup or to monitor an existing condition, such as diabetes, kidney disease, or adrenal gland disorders. You may also need this test if you take medicines that could affect your potassium levels or if you have symptoms of having too much or too little potassium.
If your potassium levels are too high (hyperkalemia), your symptoms may include:
- Arrhythmia (a problem with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat)
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness
- Nausea
- Numbness or tingling
If your potassium levels are too low (hypokalemia), your symptoms may include:
- Irregular heartbeat
- Muscle cramps
- Weak or twitching muscles
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Constipation
Too much potassium in the blood (hyperkalemia). It's often the result of two or more causes. High potassium levels may be a sign of:
- Kidney disease. Your kidneys remove extra potassium from your body. Too much potassium may mean your kidneys aren't working well.
- Addison disease, a disorder of the adrenal glands
- Injuries, burns, or surgery that can cause your cells to release extra potassium into your blood
- Type 1 diabetes that is not well controlled
- The side effects of certain medicines, such as diuretics ("water pills") or antibiotics
- A diet too high in potassium (not common). Bananas, apricots, green leafy vegetables, avocados and many other foods are good sources of potassium that are part of a healthy diet. But eating very large amounts of potassium-rich foods or taking potassium supplements can lead to health problems.
Too little potassium in the blood (hypokalemia) may be a sign of:
- Use of prescription diuretics
- Fluid loss from diarrhea, vomiting, or heavy sweating
- Using too many laxatives
- Adrenal gland disorders, including Cushing's syndrome and aldosteronism
- Kidney disease
- Alcohol use disorder (AUD)
- A diet too low in potassium (not common)
If your test results are not in the normal range, it doesn't always mean that you have a medical condition that needs treatment. Certain prescription and over-the-counter medicines and supplements may raise your potassium levels. And eating a lot of licorice may lower your levels. But only real licorice, which comes from licorice plants, has this effect. Most licorice products sold in the U.S. don't contain any real licorice. Check the package ingredient label to be sure.
To learn what your results mean, talk with your provider.
1. Potassium Blood Test: MedlinePlus Medical Test [accessed on Dec 19, 2023]

Additional Materials (16)

Fluid & Electrolytes: Potassium

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What Do Electrolytes Actually Do?

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What would happen if you didn’t drink water? - Mia Nacamulli

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3 Signs You're Not Getting Enough Potassium

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Muscle Cramps & Spasms – Dr.Berg On Charley Horses

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What Causes Cramps?

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Charley Horse Causes, Relief

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High potassium levels: Should I Worry?

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Aldosterone raises blood pressure and lowers potassium | NCLEX-RN | Khan Academy

Video by khanacademymedicine/YouTube

Plate of High Potassium Food

Clockwise from top left: tomato, orange, broccoli, carrot, butternut squash, beets, banana, spinach, almonds, avocado

Image by TheVisualMD

Potassium Ion

Potassium is an electrolyte; that is, a substance that conducts electricity in the body. Potassium is critical for the proper function of all cells, tissues, and organs in the body. It is essential to heart function, and plays a major role in smooth muscle contraction, making it important for normal digestive and muscle function. The mineral also plays a role in decreasing high blood pressure, as it attenuates the water-gathering effects of sodium. Many foods contain potassium, including all meats, some types of fish (salmon, cod, flounder), and many fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Dairy products are also good sources. If you eat a variety of foods, you'll likely meet the daily requirement. Maintaining the proper balance of sodium and potassium can be difficult; E209most Americans take in far more sodium than potassium. As a rule, five times more potassium than sodium should be consumed.

Image by TheVisualMD

Potassium: Muscle Spasm

Muscles contract in response to nerve impulses. Electrolytes such as potassium establish an electric potential between the inside and outside of cell membranes, which enables the transmission of these nerve impulses. Too little potassium can result in muscle weakness or spasms.

Image by TheVisualMD

Potassium: Heart Rate

Potassium plays an important role in maintaining cardiac electrical activity. A potassium imbalance can result in a slow or irregular heart beat, or even cardiac arrest.

Image by TheVisualMD

Potassium: Neural Conduction

Electrolytes can be either negatively and positively charged (potassium has a positive charge); they establish an electric potential between the inside and outside of cell membranes, which makes possible the transmission of nerve impulses.

Image by TheVisualMD

8:19

Fluid & Electrolytes: Potassium

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1:12

Electrolytes - What Are Electrolytes - Functions Of Electrolytes

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Why You Need Electrolytes - Can It Help With Getting Stronger?

PictureFit/YouTube

2:42

What Do Electrolytes Actually Do?

Reactions/YouTube

4:52

What would happen if you didn’t drink water? - Mia Nacamulli

TED-Ed/YouTube

5:18

3 Signs You're Not Getting Enough Potassium

DoctorOz/YouTube

4:03

Muscle Cramps & Spasms – Dr.Berg On Charley Horses

Dr. Eric Berg DC/YouTube

1:46

What Causes Cramps?

Life Noggin/YouTube

3:26

Charley Horse Causes, Relief

Wendy Westwood/YouTube

3:35

High potassium levels: Should I Worry?

Fox News/YouTube

13:18

Aldosterone raises blood pressure and lowers potassium | NCLEX-RN | Khan Academy

khanacademymedicine/YouTube

Plate of High Potassium Food

TheVisualMD

Potassium Ion

TheVisualMD

Potassium: Muscle Spasm

TheVisualMD

Potassium: Heart Rate

TheVisualMD

Potassium: Neural Conduction

TheVisualMD

Sodium

Sodium Blood Test

Also called: Sodium, Hyponatremia Test, Hypernatremia Test

A sodium blood test measures the amount of sodium in your blood. If your sodium blood levels are too high or too low, it may mean that you have a problem with your kidneys, dehydration, or another medical condition.

Sodium Blood Test

Also called: Sodium, Hyponatremia Test, Hypernatremia Test

A sodium blood test measures the amount of sodium in your blood. If your sodium blood levels are too high or too low, it may mean that you have a problem with your kidneys, dehydration, or another medical condition.

{"label":"Sodium reference range","scale":"lin","step":0.1,"hideunits":false,"items":[{"flag":"abnormal","label":{"short":"Low","long":"Low","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":60,"max":134},"text":"Low sodium levels most often occur as a result of disease or a side effect of medicines; they are rarely due to too little sodium in the diet.","conditions":["Hyponatremia","Addison's disease","Diarrhea","Diuretics","Kidney disease","Heart failure","Cirrhosis"]},{"flag":"normal","label":{"short":"Normal","long":"Normal","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":134,"max":144},"text":"Sodium is a mineral that is used in regulating the amount of water in the body. Sodium also plays important roles, along with potassium, in muscle contraction, the beating of the heart, and the sending of nerve impulses.","conditions":[]},{"flag":"abnormal","label":{"short":"High","long":"High","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":144,"max":200},"text":"High sodium levels can be caused by high dietary intake of salt, diabetes, hormone deficiency or fluid imbalance caused by excessive sweating, diarrhea or burns.","conditions":["Hypernatremia","Kidney dysfunction","Dehydration","Cushing's syndrome"]}],"units":[{"printSymbol":"meq\/L","code":"meq\/L","name":"milliequivalent per liter"}],"value":139,"disclaimer":"Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are \"within normal limits.\""}[{"abnormal":0},{"normal":0},{"abnormal":0}]
Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
meq/L
134
144
Your result is Normal.
Sodium is a mineral that is used in regulating the amount of water in the body. Sodium also plays important roles, along with potassium, in muscle contraction, the beating of the heart, and the sending of nerve impulses.
Related conditions
Your health care provider may order a sodium blood test as part of your regular checkup or if you take medicine that can affect your fluid balance. You may also have this test if you have symptoms of too much sodium or too little sodium in your blood.
Symptoms of high sodium levels (hypernatremia) include:
- Thirst
- Urinating (peeing) very little
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Confusion
- Muscle twitching
- Seizures
Without treatment, extremely high levels of sodium may lead to a coma and become life threatening.
Symptoms of low sodium levels (hyponatremia) include:
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Muscle twitching
- Seizures
Without treatment, extremely low levels of sodium may lead to a coma and become life threatening.
Blood sodium levels that are too high or too low can be a sign of many different types of conditions. To make a diagnosis, your provider will usually look at the results of your sodium blood test with the results of other tests, such as measurements of other electrolytes.
Sodium blood test results that are higher than normal may be a sign of a condition, such as:
- Dehydration, which may be caused by not drinking enough, diarrhea, or certain medicines called diuretics (water pills)
- A disorder of the adrenal glands
- A kidney disease
- Diabetes insipidus (uncommon).
Sodium blood test results that are lower than normal may be a sign of a condition, such as:
- A loss of sodium from diarrhea or vomiting
- A condition that may cause the body to hold onto extra fluid (which dilutes sodium), including:
  Kidney diseases
  Cirrhosis of the liver
  Heart failure
  Certain brain and lung diseases
  Certain types of cancer
  Certain medicines, including many over-the-counter pain relievers and some antidepressants
- Addison disease
- Malnutrition
If your results are not in the normal range, it doesn't always mean that you have a medical condition that need treatment. Certain medicines can increase or decrease your sodium levels. If you have questions about your results, talk with your provider.
1. Sodium Blood Test: MedlinePlus Medical Test [accessed on Dec 19, 2023]

Additional Materials (16)

Hyponatremia SALT LOSS Nursing Mnemonics, Nursing School Study Tips

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Hypernatremia FRIED, SWINE, SALT, MODEL Nursing Mnemonics, Nursing School Study Tips

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You're Probably not Dehydrated: The Eight Glasses of Water a Day Myth

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Electrolytes - What Are Electrolytes - Functions Of Electrolytes

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Why You Need Electrolytes - Can It Help With Getting Stronger?

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What Do Electrolytes Actually Do?

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Dietary Salt Recommendations Don't Line Up with Recent Evidence

Video by Healthcare Triage/YouTube

Fluids and Electrolytes Sodium

Video by DrBruce Forciea/YouTube

Aldosterone raises blood pressure and lowers potassium | NCLEX-RN | Khan Academy

Video by khanacademymedicine/YouTube

Plate of High Sodium Food

Salt is essential to life, but because our bodies are built to crave salt, modern diets often include too much. The kidneys balance the amount of salt and fluid in the body in order to maintain proper blood pressure. When healthy people eat too much salt, their bodies adjust and the kidneys excrete more sodium. But when the kidneys are damaged, they are less able to excrete sodium so that even normal salt intake can result in an increase in the fluid retained by the body, which causes blood pressure to rise. Controlling salt is key to controlling hypertension. High sodium foods to avoid: table salt, potato chips, bacon, pickles, olives hot dogs, pastrami, cheese.

Image by TheVisualMD

Living With the DASH Eating Plan

A glass salt shaker with a metal top photographed on a white background. Reduction of salt intake is important in reducing blood pressure.

Image by Dubravko Soric SoraZG on Flickr

Salt

Image by Sam Bald

Man with Visible Musculature Lifting Weights (sodium)

Sodium is an electrolyte that plays key roles in nerve transmission and muscle contraction, as well as helps balance bodily fluids and facilitate the movement of materials across cell membranes. Abnormal sodium levels can be caused by many conditions; either too much or too little sodium can be dangerous. The body maintains sodium blood levels in a narrow range; urine is the primary way in which the body balances sodium levels. Normal sweating is one of the ways the nervous system regulates body temperature; excessive sweating can lead to low sodium, particularly when only water is used to replace lost fluids.

Image by TheVisualMD

Fluid Regulation

The body's fluid balance is kept within a narrow range by the kidneys, which constantly monitor and adjust blood levels of electrolytes (sodium, calcium, potassium, bicarbonate, and chloride) as well as blood proteins such as albumin. If the body is unable to self-regulate, however, treatment may involve dietary changes (lower salt intake or increased fluid intake, for example), diuretics or treatment of the underlying disease causing the fluid imbalance.

Image by TheVisualMD

Sodium: Blood Vessels

A test for sodium, along with other electrolytes, is routinely included in the basic metabolic panel (BMP). If blood levels are abnormal, urine levels are also tested in order to help determine whether the problem is excessive intake of sodium or excessive loss.

Image by TheVisualMD

U.S. Army Sergeant Kornelia Rachwal gives a young Pakistani girl a drink of water as they are airlifted

U.S. Army Sergeant Kornelia Rachwal gives a young Pakistani girl a drink of water as they are airlifted from Muzaffarabad to Islamabad, Pakistan, aboard a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter

Image by Technical Sergeant Mike Buytas of the United States Air Force

3:07

Hyponatremia SALT LOSS Nursing Mnemonics, Nursing School Study Tips

NURSINGcom/YouTube

3:33

Hypernatremia FRIED, SWINE, SALT, MODEL Nursing Mnemonics, Nursing School Study Tips

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6:46

You're Probably not Dehydrated: The Eight Glasses of Water a Day Myth

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Electrolytes - What Are Electrolytes - Functions Of Electrolytes

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Dietary Salt Recommendations Don't Line Up with Recent Evidence

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Aldosterone raises blood pressure and lowers potassium | NCLEX-RN | Khan Academy

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Plate of High Sodium Food

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Living With the DASH Eating Plan

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Salt

Sam Bald

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Fluid Regulation

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Sodium: Blood Vessels

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U.S. Army Sergeant Kornelia Rachwal gives a young Pakistani girl a drink of water as they are airlifted

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Chloride

Chloride Blood Test

Also called: Chloride, Hypochloremia Test, Hyperchloremia Test

A chloride test measures the chloride in your blood. Chloride is a mineral that helps maintain the acid-base balance in your body. The test is usually part of a routine blood screening or to help determine if there is a problem with your body's electrolyte or acid-base (pH) balance.

Chloride Blood Test

Also called: Chloride, Hypochloremia Test, Hyperchloremia Test

A chloride test measures the chloride in your blood. Chloride is a mineral that helps maintain the acid-base balance in your body. The test is usually part of a routine blood screening or to help determine if there is a problem with your body's electrolyte or acid-base (pH) balance.

{"label":"Chloride reference range","scale":"lin","step":0.1,"hideunits":false,"items":[{"flag":"abnormal","label":{"short":"Low","long":"Low","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":80,"max":96},"text":"Low levels of chloride, called hypochloremia, may be caused by conditions like diarrhea or kidney disease, certain medications, or excessive sweating.","conditions":["Bartter syndrome","Burns","Congestive heart failure","Cushing syndrome","Dehydration","Excessive sweating","Hyperaldosteronism","Metabolic alkalosis","Respiratory acidosis","SIADH","Vomiting"]},{"flag":"normal","label":{"short":"Normal","long":"Normal","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":96,"max":106},"text":"You get most of your chloride in the form of sodium chloride, or salt, in the food you eat. In healthy people, chloride is usually absorbed in the gut, then it\u2019s transported through your blood and distributed to your tissues.","conditions":[]},{"flag":"abnormal","label":{"short":"High","long":"High","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":106,"max":125},"text":"High levels of chloride, called hyperchloremia, may be caused by conditions like diarrhea or kidney disease, certain medications, or eating too much salt.","conditions":["Addison disease","Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors","Diarrhea","Ethylene glycol poisoning","Ketoacidosis","Kidney disease","Lactic acidosis","Metabolic acidosis","Methanol poisoning","Renal tubular acidosis","Respiratory alkalosis","Salicylate toxicity","Ureteral diversion"]}],"units":[{"printSymbol":"meq\/L","code":"meq\/L","name":"milliequivalent per liter"}],"value":101,"disclaimer":"Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are \"within normal limits.\""}[{"abnormal":0},{"normal":0},{"abnormal":0}]
Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
meq/L
96
106
Your result is Normal.
You get most of your chloride in the form of sodium chloride, or salt, in the food you eat. In healthy people, chloride is usually absorbed in the gut, then it’s transported through your blood and distributed to your tissues.
Related conditions
Your health care provider may have ordered a chloride blood test as part of an electrolyte panel, which is a routine blood test. An electrolyte panel is a test that measures chloride and other electrolytes, such as potassium, sodium, and bicarbonate. You may also need a chloride blood test if you have symptoms of an acid or fluid imbalance, including:
- Vomiting over a long period of time
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Dehydration
- Trouble breathing
There are many reasons why your chloride levels may not be in the normal range.
High levels of chloride may be a sign of:
- Dehydration
- Kidney disease
- Metabolic acidosis, a condition in which you have too much acid in your blood. It can cause nausea, vomiting, and fatigue.
Low levels of chloride may be a sign of:
- Heart failure
- Lung disease
- Addison disease, a condition in which your body's adrenal glands don't produce enough of certain types of hormones. It can cause a variety of symptoms, including weakness, dizziness, weight loss, and dehydration.
- Metabolic alkalosis, a condition in which you have too much base in your blood. It can cause irritability, muscle twitching, and tingling in the fingers and toes.
If your chloride levels are not in the normal range, it doesn't always mean you have a medical problem that needs treatment. Many things can affect your chloride levels, such as drinking too much fluid or losing fluid because of vomiting or diarrhea. Also, certain medicines such as antacids can cause abnormal results. To learn what your results mean, talk with your provider.
1. Chloride Blood Test: MedlinePlus Medical Test [accessed on Dec 20, 2023]
2. Chloride test - blood: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [accessed on Dec 20, 2023]
3. Chloride - Health Encyclopedia - University of Rochester Medical Center [accessed on Dec 20, 2023]
4. Berend K, van Hulsteijn LH et al. Chloride: the queen of electrolytes?. European journal of internal medicine. Apr 1, 2012. doi:10.1016/j.ejim.2011.11.013 [accessed on Dec 20, 2023]

Additional Materials (12)

Fluid Regulation

The body's fluid balance is kept within a narrow range by the kidneys, which constantly monitor and adjust blood levels of electrolytes (sodium, calcium, potassium, bicarbonate, and chloride) as well as blood proteins such as albumin. If the body is unable to self-regulate, however, treatment may involve dietary changes (lower salt intake or increased fluid intake, for example), diuretics or treatment of the underlying disease causing the fluid imbalance.

Image by TheVisualMD

Chloride: Stomach Wall Lining Close Up

Cells in the lining of the stomach use chloride to produce hydrochloric acid, a powerful acid that aids digestion. Other cells in the stomach lining produce biocarbonate to buffer the acid and mucus to prevent the acid from damaging the stomach lining.

Image by TheVisualMD

Chloride: Stomach

Cells in the lining of the stomach use chloride to produce hydrochloric acid, a powerful acid that aids digestion. Other cells in the stomach lining produce biocarbonate to buffer the acid and mucus to prevent the acid from damaging the stomach lining.

Image by TheVisualMD

Fluid and Electrolytes: Chloride

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Chloride Nursing Considerations, Normal Range, Nursing Care, Lab Values Nursing

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Calcium chloride

Calcium chloride

Image by Firetwister _ Markus Brunner

Cross section Human Stomach

Cross section Human Stomach

Image by TheVisualMD

gastric acid in stomach hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride and sodium chloride

gastric acid in stomach hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride and sodium chloride

Image by TheVisualMD

Fluid Regulation

TheVisualMD

Chloride: Stomach Wall Lining Close Up

TheVisualMD

Chloride: Stomach

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3:26

Fluid and Electrolytes: Chloride

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2:42

What Do Electrolytes Actually Do?

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1:47

Why You Need Electrolytes - Can It Help With Getting Stronger?

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1:12

Electrolytes - What Are Electrolytes - Functions Of Electrolytes

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4:52

What would happen if you didn’t drink water? - Mia Nacamulli

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4:07

Chloride Nursing Considerations, Normal Range, Nursing Care, Lab Values Nursing

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Calcium chloride

Firetwister _ Markus Brunner

Cross section Human Stomach

TheVisualMD

gastric acid in stomach hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride and sodium chloride

TheVisualMD

Bicarbonate

Carbon Dioxide Blood Test

Also called: Carbon Dioxide, CO2, Bicarbonate, Metabolic Alkalosis Test, Metabolic Acidosis Test

A carbon dioxide (CO2) blood test measures the amount of carbon dioxide is in the blood in your veins. Too much or too little CO2 in the blood can indicate a health problem. The test is most often done as part of an electrolyte or metabolic panel.

Carbon Dioxide Blood Test

Also called: Carbon Dioxide, CO2, Bicarbonate, Metabolic Alkalosis Test, Metabolic Acidosis Test

A carbon dioxide (CO2) blood test measures the amount of carbon dioxide is in the blood in your veins. Too much or too little CO2 in the blood can indicate a health problem. The test is most often done as part of an electrolyte or metabolic panel.

{"label":"Carbon dioxide reference range","scale":"lin","step":0.1,"hideunits":false,"items":[{"flag":"abnormal","label":{"short":"Low","long":"Low","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":0,"max":22},"text":"Low results may indicate a wide range of conditions, such as electrolyte imbalance. ","conditions":["Hypocapnia","Addison's disease","Acidosis","Ketoacidosis","Shock","Kidney disorders"]},{"flag":"normal","label":{"short":"Normal","long":"Normal","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":22,"max":28},"text":"Changes in your CO2 level may suggest that you are losing or retaining acidic fluid. This may cause an imbalance in your body's acid-base balance (pH balance).","conditions":[]},{"flag":"abnormal","label":{"short":"High","long":"High","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":28,"max":60},"text":"High results may indicate that your body has an electrolyte imbalance, or that there is a problem removing carbon dioxide through your lungs.","conditions":["Hypercapnia","Lung diseases","Disorders of the adrenal glands","Hormonal disorders","Kidney disorders","Alkalosis"]}],"units":[{"printSymbol":"meq\/L","code":"meq\/L","name":"milliequivalent per liter"}],"value":25,"disclaimer":"Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are \"within normal limits.\""}[{"abnormal":0},{"normal":0},{"abnormal":0}]
Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
meq/L
22
28
Your result is Normal.
Changes in your CO2 level may suggest that you are losing or retaining acidic fluid. This may cause an imbalance in your body's acid-base balance (pH balance).
Related conditions
{"label":"pCO2 reference range","scale":"lin","step":0.1,"hideunits":false,"items":[{"flag":"abnormal","label":{"short":"Hypocapnia","long":"Hypocapnia","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":10,"max":35},"text":"A pCO2 value below 35 mm Hg is called hypocapnia, or hypocarbia. When the levels are low, the body naturally tries to produce more CO2 by joining bicarbonate (HCO3-) and hydrogen ions to create more CO2 molecules. However, hydrogen ions determine blood pH; by using up hydrogen ions to create CO2, the pH of the blood increases and becomes basic.","conditions":["Addison disease","CNS tumors","Dyspnea","Heart failure","Hyperventilation","Fatigue","Infections","Intracranial pressure","Ketoacidosis","Kidney disorders","Medications (aspirin, progesterone)","Metabolic acidosis","Pulmonary edema","Pulmonary embolism","Respiratory alkalosis","Shock"]},{"flag":"normal","label":{"short":"Normal","long":"Normal","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":35,"max":45},"text":"A partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) normally is maintained between 35 and 45 mm Hg. Carbon dioxide is a waste product that your body gets rid of when you exhale. It helps regulate your breathing rate and the acid-base balance in your blood.","conditions":[]},{"flag":"abnormal","label":{"short":"Hypercapnia","long":"Hypercapnia","orientation":"horizontal"},"values":{"min":45,"max":100},"text":"A pCO2 value above 45 mm Hg is called hypercapnia, or hypercarbia. This result may indicate that your body has an electrolyte imbalance, or that there is a problem removing carbon dioxide through your lungs.","conditions":["Adrenal glands disorders","Hormonal disorders","Hyperthyroidism","Hypoventilation","Fever","Kidney diseases","Lung diseases","Respiratory acidosis","Respiratory failure"]}],"units":[{"printSymbol":"mm\u00a0Hg","code":"mm[Hg]","name":"millimeter of mercury"}],"value":40,"disclaimer":"Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are \"within normal limits.\""}[{"abnormal":0},{"normal":0},{"abnormal":0}]
Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mm Hg
35
45
Your result is Normal.
A partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) normally is maintained between 35 and 45 mm Hg. Carbon dioxide is a waste product that your body gets rid of when you exhale. It helps regulate your breathing rate and the acid-base balance in your blood.
Related conditions
Your health care provider may order a CO2 blood test as part of your regular checkup or if you have symptoms of an electrolyte imbalance. These symptoms may include:
- Trouble breathing
- Confusion
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea over a long period of time
Your provider may also order a CO2 blood test to check for side effects of certain medicines that can cause electrolyte imbalances.
Abnormal test results may be a sign that your body is having a hard time keeping the right acid-base balance (pH balance). This may be because your lungs or kidneys are having a problem removing carbon dioxide or because you have an electrolyte imbalance. Many different types of conditions can cause these problems.
Too much CO2 in the blood can be a sign of many conditions, including:
- Lung diseases
- Cushing's syndrome
- Kidney failure
- Metabolic alkalosis, a condition in which your blood is not acidic enough. You may lose acid from conditions such as vomiting, dehydration, and anorexia.
Too little CO2 in the blood may be a sign of:
- Addison disease, a complication of type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
- Shock
- Metabolic acidosis, a condition in which your blood is too acidic. It may be caused by many things, including kidney or liver disease, or long-lasting diarrhea.
- Respiratory alkalosis, a condition in which your blood is not acidic enough because of lung or breathing disorders, including hyperventilation (rapid, deep breathing).
If your test results are not in the normal range, it doesn't necessarily mean you have a medical condition that needs treatment. Other factors, including certain medicines, can affect the level of CO2 in your blood. To learn what your results mean, talk with your provider.
1. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in Blood: MedlinePlus Medical Test [accessed on Dec 20, 2023]
2. CO2 blood test: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [accessed on Dec 20, 2023]
3. Carbon Dioxide (Blood) - Health Encyclopedia - University of Rochester Medical Center [accessed on Dec 20, 2023]

Albumin

Albumin Blood Test

Also called: Albumin, ALB, Hypoalbuminemia Test, Hyperalbuminemia Test

Albumin is a protein made by the liver that makes up about 60% of the total protein in the blood. An albumin blood test can help diagnose, evaluate, and monitor kidney and liver conditions.

Albumin Blood Test

Also called: Albumin, ALB, Hypoalbuminemia Test, Hyperalbuminemia Test

Albumin is a protein made by the liver that makes up about 60% of the total protein in the blood. An albumin blood test can help diagnose, evaluate, and monitor kidney and liver conditions.

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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
g/dL
3.5
5
Your result is Normal.
Albumin is the most abundant protein in the body. It is made by the liver and plays many important roles, including maintaining pressure in the blood vessels and transporting substances, such as hormones and medications.
Related conditions
Your health care provider may order an albumin test as part your regular checkup. The test may be ordered as part of a group of liver function tests or a comprehensive metabolic panel. You may also need this test if you have symptoms of liver or kidney disease.
Symptoms of liver disease include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Lack of appetite
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Jaundice, a condition that causes your skin and eyes to turn yellow
- Swelling and/or pain in your abdomen (belly)
- Swelling in your ankles and legs
- Dark-colored urine (pee) and/or light-colored stool (poop)
- Frequent itching
Symptoms of kidney disease include:
- Swelling in the hands and feet or puffy eyelids
- Dry skin, itching, or numbness
- Fatigue
- Increased or decreased urination
- Urine that is bloody or foamy
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- Muscle cramps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Sleep problems
- Trouble thinking clearly
With some types of kidney disease, such as chronic kidney disease, you may not have symptoms until the later stages.
An albumin blood test alone cannot diagnose a condition. Your provider will usually consider your albumin test results with the results of other tests to make a diagnosis.
Lower than normal albumin levels may be a sign of:
- Liver disease, including severe cirrhosis, hepatitis, and fatty liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Malnutrition
- Infection
- Digestive diseases that involve problems using protein from food, such as Crohn's disease and malabsorption disorders
- Burns over a large area of your body
- Thyroid disease
Higher than normal albumin levels may be a sign of dehydration, which may be caused by severe diarrhea or other conditions.
If your albumin levels are not in the normal range, it doesn't always mean you have a medical condition that needs treatment. Certain medicines, including steroids, insulin, and hormones, can increase albumin levels. Not eating can cause a large decrease in albumin after 24 to 48 hours. Other medicines, including birth control pills, can lower your albumin levels. Albumin levels are lower during pregnancy.
Your provider can explain what your test results mean.
1. Albumin Blood Test: MedlinePlus Lab Test Information [accessed on Dec 20, 2023]
2. Albumin - blood (serum): MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [accessed on Dec 20, 2023]
3. Albumin Blood Test - Testing.com. Nov 24, 2022 [accessed on Dec 20, 2023]

Additional Materials (8)

Healthy vs Damaged Kidney

A healthy kidney doesn’t let albumin pass into the urine. A damaged kidney lets some albumin pass into the urine. Urine Test for Albumin If you are at risk for kidney disease, your provider may check your urine for albumin. Albumin is a protein found in your blood. A healthy kidney doesn’t let albumin pass into the urine. A damaged kidney lets some albumin pass into the urine. The less albumin in your urine, the better. Having albumin in the urine is called albuminuria. A diagram showing a healthy kidney with albumin only found in blood, and a damaged kidney that has albumin in both blood and urine. A healthy kidney doesn’t let albumin pass into the urine. A damaged kidney lets some albumin pass into the urine. A health care provider can check for albumin in your urine in two ways: Dipstick test for albumin. A provider uses a urine sample to look for albumin in your urine. You collect the urine sample in a container in a health care provider’s office or lab. For the test, a provider places a strip of chemically treated paper, called a dipstick, into the urine. The dipstick changes color if albumin is present in the urine. Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). This test measures and compares the amount of albumin with the amount of creatinine in your urine sample. Providers use your UACR to estimate how much albumin would pass into your urine over 24 hours. A urine albumin result of 30 mg/g or less is normal more than 30 mg/g may be a sign of kidney disease If you have albumin in your urine, your provider may want you to repeat the urine test one or two more times to confirm the results. Talk with your provider about what your specific numbers mean for you. If you have kidney disease, measuring the albumin in your urine helps your provider know which treatment is best for you. A urine albumin level that stays the same or goes down may mean that treatments are working.

Image by The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases/NIH

Albumin Nursing Considerations, Normal Range, Nursing Care, Lab Values Nursing

Video by NURSINGcom/YouTube

Important Liver Values Albumin, ALT, ALP & AST

Video by NKN/YouTube

Electrophoresis - concentration - Albumin

The albumins (formed from Latin: albumen \"(egg) white; dried egg white\") are a family of globular proteins, the most common of which is serum albumin. The albumin family consists of all proteins that are water-soluble, are moderately soluble in concentrated salt solutions, and experience heat denaturation. Albumins are commonly found in blood plasma, and are unique from other blood proteins in that they are not glycosylated. Substances containing albumins, such as egg white, are called albuminoids. A number of blood transport proteins are evolutionarily related, including serum albumin, alpha-fetoprotein, vitamin D-binding protein and afamin.

Image by TheVisualMD

Electrophoresis - total protein - Albumin

The albumins (formed from Latin: albumen \"(egg) white; dried egg white\") are a family of globular proteins, the most common of which is serum albumin. The albumin family consists of all proteins that are water-soluble, are moderately soluble in concentrated salt solutions, and experience heat denaturation. Albumins are commonly found in blood plasma, and are unique from other blood proteins in that they are not glycosylated. Substances containing albumins, such as egg white, are called albuminoids. A number of blood transport proteins are evolutionarily related, including serum albumin, alpha-fetoprotein, vitamin D-binding protein and afamin.

Image by TheVisualMD

Albumin, Kidney Disease

Proteins are normally filtered out of the blood and recycled by the kidneys, including the blood protein albumin, which is produced by the liver and helps maintain the fluid balance of blood as well as transport hormones, vitamins, and other substances throughout the body. When kidneys are diseased or damaged, however, their ability to filter out proteins is compromised, which allows proteins like albumin to then leak into urine.

Image by TheVisualMD

Albumin: Kidney Disease

Kidney disease can result in abnormal albumin levels because diseased or damaged kidneys are not able to effectively filter out and recycle albumin in the blood; instead, albumin leaks into the urine.

Image by TheVisualMD

Albumin: Blood Serum

The serum is the clear, liquid portion of the blood. There are two classes of proteins, albumin and globulin, found in the blood. Albumin is the most abundant protein; its main purpose is to keep fluid from leaking out of blood vessels.

Image by TheVisualMD

Healthy vs Damaged Kidney

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases/NIH

3:51

Albumin Nursing Considerations, Normal Range, Nursing Care, Lab Values Nursing

NURSINGcom/YouTube

7:55

Important Liver Values Albumin, ALT, ALP & AST

NKN/YouTube

Electrophoresis - concentration - Albumin

TheVisualMD

Electrophoresis - total protein - Albumin

TheVisualMD

Albumin, Kidney Disease

TheVisualMD

Albumin: Kidney Disease

TheVisualMD

Albumin: Blood Serum

TheVisualMD

Creatinine

Creatinine Test

Also called: Creat, Creatinine

This test measures creatinine levels in your blood or urine. Creatinine is a waste product that is made each time you move your muscles. People who have larger muscles tend to make more creatinine than people who have smaller muscles. Abnormal levels can be a sign of kidney disease.

Creatinine Test

Also called: Creat, Creatinine

This test measures creatinine levels in your blood or urine. Creatinine is a waste product that is made each time you move your muscles. People who have larger muscles tend to make more creatinine than people who have smaller muscles. Abnormal levels can be a sign of kidney disease.

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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mg/dL
0.7
1.2
Your result is Normal.
Creatinine is a chemical waste product of muscle metabolism. The muscle mass in the body is related to creatinine levels in the blood. Creatinine is removed from blood by kidneys, therefore creatinine test gives an overview of kidney function.
Related conditions
A creatinine test is used to help:
- Check the health of your kidneys
- Diagnose kidney disease
- Monitor known kidney problems and see how well treatment is working
- Check for side effects from medicines that may affect your kidneys
Creatinine testing alone isn't the best way to check how well your kidneys are working. That's because people make different amounts creatinine depending on how much muscle they have, the foods they eat, their age, and how active they are. So, the results from creatinine testing are often used in calculations or compared with other substances to help get more information:
- Creatinine levels in blood are often used to calculate how fast your kidneys filter waste out of your blood. This is called an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The calculation includes information about your age, weight, height, and sex. An eGFR is a more accurate way to measure kidney health than creatinine levels in blood or urine alone. An eGFR can also help show how serious kidney disease may be.
- Creatinine levels in blood and urine maybe be compared with each other. This is called a creatinine clearance calculation. Like an eGFR, it estimates how fast your kidneys filter waste. But an eGFR is more accurate. A creatinine clearance may still be useful to help identify the cause of high or low levels of blood creatinine in people who have very high muscle mass or a loss of muscle mass from age, illness, or the loss of an arm and/or leg.
- Creatinine levels in urine may be used to calculate a urine albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR), which is sometimes called a microalbumin creatinine ratio. Albumin is the main protein found in blood. Normally your kidneys filter out just a trace of albumin, or none at all. If larger amounts of albumin pass into your urine, it may be a sign of kidney damage. A UACR compares the amounts of creatinine and albumin in your urine to get a more accurate measurement of how much albumin is in your urine.
- Creatinine blood levels measured as part of a CMP or a BMP may be compared with the level of BUN (blood urea nitrogen) that's measured in the same test. This can help find out the cause of a kidney problem.
Your provider may order a creatinine test:
- To check your kidney health as part of a routine checkup.
- If you have symptoms of kidney disease. Symptoms may include:
  Swelling in the hands and feet or puffy eyelids
  Dry skin, itching, or numbness
  Fatigue
  Increased or decreased need to urinate (pee)
  Urine that is bloody or foamy
  Loss of appetite and weight loss
  Muscle cramps
  Nausea and vomiting
  Shortness of breath
  Sleep problems
  Trouble thinking clearly
- If you have a high risk for developing kidney disease, even if you don't have symptoms now. Chronic (long-term) kidney disease (CKD) often doesn't have symptoms in the early stages. Your risk for kidney disease is increased if you:
  Have diabetes
  Have high blood pressure
  Have a family health history of kidney disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure
  Have heart disease
  Are over 50 years old
  Smoke
  Have obesity
- If you have kidney problems or possible kidney problems because you have:
  Had an abnormal result on a kidney test in the past
  Been diagnosed with kidney disease
  Taken certain medicines that could affect your kidneys
  Had a kidney transplant
For a creatinine blood test:
A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.
For a creatinine urine test:
You may need to provide all the urine you pass over 24 hours. That's because creatinine levels vary through the day. But your provider may use a urine sample from a shorter period of time.
For a 24-hour urine sample, you will be given a special container to collect your urine over a full day and instructions on how to collect and store your sample. Your provider will tell you what time to start. The test generally includes the following steps:
- To begin, urinate in the toilet as usual. Do not collect this urine. Write down the time you urinated.
- For the next 24 hours, collect all your urine in the container.
- During the collection period, store the urine container in a refrigerator or in a cooler with ice.
- 24 hours after starting the test, try to urinate if you can. This is the last urine collection for the test.
- Return the container with your urine to your provider's office or the laboratory as instructed.
If you have hemorrhoids that bleed or are having your menstrual period, tell your provider before your test.
Creatinine levels that are considered normal for you will depend on how much muscle you have, what you eat, your age, and how active you are. If you're healthy, your levels are usually fairly stable over time.
But a normal creatinine test result doesn't always mean that your kidneys are healthy. Sometimes, blood creatinine levels remain in a normal range during the early stages of kidney disease. They rise as the condition of your kidneys becomes more serious. If your provider suspects you have a kidney condition, you will likely have other kidney tests even if your creatinine results seem normal.
If your results are abnormal, a single high creatinine test can't diagnose a specific condition. You will likely need to be retested and/or have other tests, too.
In general, if your blood creatinine level is:
- High for you, it may be a sign of:
  Kidney disease or injury, including infection, poor blood flow to the kidneys, a blockage in the urinary system, or kidney failure
  A condition that affects your kidneys, such as heart failure or diabetes
  High blood creatinine levels don't always mean you have a kidney problem. They may be caused by dehydration, muscle disorders and injuries, muscular dystrophy, intense exercise, or a diet high in meat. Certain health problems in pregnancy can also cause increases in creatinine.
- Low for you, it may be a sign of malnutrition or a condition that causes your muscles to get smaller, such as a long illness, a nerve disorder, or muscle loss from aging. Serious liver disease can also lead to low levels. Low levels of blood creatinine aren't common.
If your results from creatinine blood or urine tests were used to calculate an eGFR, creatinine clearance, and/or a urine albumin to creatinine ratio, ask your provider to explain what these measurements say about your kidney health.
If you have questions about any your results, talk with your provider.
1. Creatinine Test: MedlinePlus Medical Test [accessed on Jan 23, 2024]
2. Creatinine blood test: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [accessed on Jan 23, 2024]

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

Additional Materials (17)

Creatinine Nursing Considerations, Normal Range, Nursing Care, Lab Values Nursing

Video by NURSINGcom/YouTube

✔✔✔ What is BUN and Creatinine - Kidney Function Test ✔✔✔

Video by NKN/YouTube

Creatinine Clearance Nursing Considerations, Normal Range, Nursing Care, Lab Values Nursing

Video by NURSINGcom/YouTube

BUN and Creatinine

Video by PhysioPathoPharmaco/YouTube

Creatinine

Measuring serum creatinine is a simple test, and it is the most commonly used indicator of renal function.

Image by TheVisualMD

Healthy vs Damaged Kidney

A healthy kidney doesn’t let albumin pass into the urine. A damaged kidney lets some albumin pass into the urine. Urine Test for Albumin If you are at risk for kidney disease, your provider may check your urine for albumin. Albumin is a protein found in your blood. A healthy kidney doesn’t let albumin pass into the urine. A damaged kidney lets some albumin pass into the urine. The less albumin in your urine, the better. Having albumin in the urine is called albuminuria. A diagram showing a healthy kidney with albumin only found in blood, and a damaged kidney that has albumin in both blood and urine. A healthy kidney doesn’t let albumin pass into the urine. A damaged kidney lets some albumin pass into the urine. A health care provider can check for albumin in your urine in two ways: Dipstick test for albumin. A provider uses a urine sample to look for albumin in your urine. You collect the urine sample in a container in a health care provider’s office or lab. For the test, a provider places a strip of chemically treated paper, called a dipstick, into the urine. The dipstick changes color if albumin is present in the urine. Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). This test measures and compares the amount of albumin with the amount of creatinine in your urine sample. Providers use your UACR to estimate how much albumin would pass into your urine over 24 hours. A urine albumin result of 30 mg/g or less is normal more than 30 mg/g may be a sign of kidney disease If you have albumin in your urine, your provider may want you to repeat the urine test one or two more times to confirm the results. Talk with your provider about what your specific numbers mean for you. If you have kidney disease, measuring the albumin in your urine helps your provider know which treatment is best for you. A urine albumin level that stays the same or goes down may mean that treatments are working.

Image by The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases/NIH

Diagnosing CKD

Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the standard means of expressing overall kidney function. Normal GFR is approximate; it is about 100-140 mL/min in men and 85-115 mL/min in women. Patients are divided into five stages of chronic kidney disease based on their GFR. In the first four stages the kidneys are still working, but function lessens with each successive stage. In stage 5, kidney failure, the kidneys stop functioning altogether.

Image by TheVisualMD

Diagnosing CKD

Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the standard means of expressing overall kidney function. Normal GFR is approximate; it is about 100-140 mL/min in men and 85-115 mL/min in women. Patients are divided into five stages of chronic kidney disease based on their GFR. In the first four stages the kidneys are still working, but function lessens with each successive stage. In stage 5, kidney failure, the kidneys stop functioning altogether.

Image by TheVisualMD

Understanding GFR - Glomerular Filtration Rate

Diagram showing the basic physiologic mechanisms of the kidney

Image by Madhero88

Creatine 3D Molecule

An amino acid that occurs in vertebrate tissues and in urine. In muscle tissue, creatine generally occurs as phosphocreatine. Creatine is excreted as CREATININE in the urine.

Creatine Kinase (CK)

Creatine kinase (CK) is an enzyme found in striated muscle of the heart, brain, and skeletal muscle. The enzyme plays a role in energy production, and becomes more concentrated in muscle tissue in response to energy demands. When muscle is damaged or diseased, CK leaks into the bloodstream, where elevated levels can be detected. There are three different forms of CK in the body, existing in varying ratios. CK-MB is found mostly in cardiac muscle; CK-MM mostly in skeletal muscle; and CK-BB mostly in the brain. Identifying which form is elevated in blood tests is helpful in determining which kind of tissue has been damaged.

Image by TheVisualMD

Formation of Urine. See link for real voice update in description!

Video by Alila Medical Media/YouTube

Kidney Function Tests and Interpretation of Results.

Video by Medcrine Medical/YouTube

Understanding Blood Test Video 2: Comprehensive Metabolic Panel

Video by Health in a Nutshell/YouTube

CREATININE: LAB VALUES

Video by NursingSOS/YouTube

Creatinine levels: often misunderstood

Video by SelfTestable/YouTube

Failing Kidneys and Different Treatment Options

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3:10

Creatinine Nursing Considerations, Normal Range, Nursing Care, Lab Values Nursing

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8:29

✔✔✔ What is BUN and Creatinine - Kidney Function Test ✔✔✔

NKN/YouTube

3:01

Creatinine Clearance Nursing Considerations, Normal Range, Nursing Care, Lab Values Nursing

NURSINGcom/YouTube

5:26

BUN and Creatinine

PhysioPathoPharmaco/YouTube

Creatinine

TheVisualMD

Healthy vs Damaged Kidney

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases/NIH

Diagnosing CKD

TheVisualMD

Diagnosing CKD

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Understanding GFR - Glomerular Filtration Rate

Madhero88

Creatine 3D Molecule

Creatine Kinase (CK)

TheVisualMD

6:50

Formation of Urine. See link for real voice update in description!

Alila Medical Media/YouTube

15:01

Kidney Function Tests and Interpretation of Results.

Medcrine Medical/YouTube

5:17

Understanding Blood Test Video 2: Comprehensive Metabolic Panel

Health in a Nutshell/YouTube

4:03

CREATININE: LAB VALUES

NursingSOS/YouTube

6:59

Creatinine levels: often misunderstood

SelfTestable/YouTube

10:32

Failing Kidneys and Different Treatment Options

DocMikeEvans/YouTube

BUN

Blood Urea Nitrogen Test

Also called: BUN, Urea Nitrogen

The test measures the amount of urea nitrogen in your blood. Urea nitrogen is one of the waste products removed from your blood by your kidneys. Higher than normal BUN levels may be a sign that your kidneys aren't working efficiently.

Blood Urea Nitrogen Test

Also called: BUN, Urea Nitrogen

The test measures the amount of urea nitrogen in your blood. Urea nitrogen is one of the waste products removed from your blood by your kidneys. Higher than normal BUN levels may be a sign that your kidneys aren't working efficiently.

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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mg/dL
8
23
Your result is Normal.
Normal results vary based on the laboratory and the method used.
Related conditions
Your health care provider may order a BUN test as part of a routine check-up or if you have or are at risk for a kidney problem. Early kidney disease usually does not have any signs or symptoms. You may be more likely to develop kidney disease if you have:
- Family of kidney problems
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
Your provider may check your BUN levels if you are having symptoms of later stage kidney disease, such as:
- Needing to urinate (pee) more often or less often than usual
- Itching
- Fatigue
- Swelling in your legs, feet, or ankles
- Muscle cramps
- Trouble sleeping
A BUN test is only one type of measurement of kidney function. If your provider thinks you may have kidney disease, you may need other tests. These may include tests to measure:
- Creatinine, which is another waste product that your kidneys remove from your body
- GFR (Glomerular Filtration Rate), which estimates how well your kidneys are filtering blood
1. BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen): MedlinePlus Lab Test Information [accessed on Sep 06, 2018]
2. 001040: Urea Nitrogen | LabCorp [accessed on Sep 06, 2018]
3. BUN | LabCorp [accessed on Sep 06, 2018]
4. Fontanarosa, P., & Christiansen, S. (2009, April 01). Laboratory Values. AMA Manual of Style. Ed. [accessed on Oct 09, 2018]

Additional Materials (15)

✔✔✔ What is BUN and Creatinine - Kidney Function Test ✔✔✔

Video by NKN/YouTube

Acute Renal Failure

Video by Armando Hasudungan/YouTube

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Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) (Nursing Lab Values)

Video by NURSINGcom/YouTube

Kidney Disease: Understanding Your Lab Values

Video by UC San Diego Health/YouTube

BUN Test/Urea: Role in Kidney function Testing- Conditions with High Blood Urea Nitrogen- Dr Kasi MD

Video by Interpret Your Lab Tests/YouTube

Kidney function test normal range

Video by Shomu's Biology/YouTube

Urea Nitrogen Molecule

The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test measures the amount of the waste urea found in the blood. Nitrogen, in the form of ammonia, is produced by the breakdown of proteins; it combines with carbon, hydrogen and oxygen to form urea, which is then released into the bloodstream and carried to the kidneys, where it is filtered out and eliminated in the urine. If the kidneys are damaged, their ability to remove urea from the blood is impaired.

Image by TheVisualMD

Male Urinary System

This anterior view of a male torso reveals the upper urinary tract (kidneys, ureter and bladder) in situ. Anatomy overlaying this system including the liver, pancreas, small intestines, and ribs, have been \"ghosted in\" in order to allow an unobstructed view of the structures underneath. Completely visible anatomy surrounding the kidneys include the perirenal fat, adrenal gland, pelvis, aorta, vena cava and lower spinal column. The kidneys are the body's primary filtering system, responsible for processing and eliminating wastes from the bloodstream such as excess salts and proteins. Once extracted, these are then broken down into a substance called urea. Urea flows to the bladder and is eventually expelled as urine. Working non-stop day and night, the kidneys filter nearly 200 quarts of blood per day, producing about two quarts of urine (depending on body size). The left kidney is usually positioned slightly higher in the body than the right. This occurs because the developing liver on the right side of the spine grows more rapidly than the kidneys and displaces the right kidney downwards.

Image by TheVisualMD

Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN): Protein

Nitrogen, in the form of ammonia, is produced by the breakdown of proteins; it combines with carbon, hydrogen and oxygen to form urea, which is released into the blood; the kidneys, in turn, filter it out and eliminate it in the urine.

Image by TheVisualMD

Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN): Kidneys

Each day, our kidneys filter 200 quarts of blood to extract 2 quarts of waste products and excess water. The wastes and water become urine, which flows via tubes called ureters to the bladder, where it is stored until released through urination.

Image by TheVisualMD

Diagnosing CKD

Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the standard means of expressing overall kidney function. Normal GFR is approximate; it is about 100-140 mL/min in men and 85-115 mL/min in women. Patients are divided into five stages of chronic kidney disease based on their GFR. In the first four stages the kidneys are still working, but function lessens with each successive stage. In stage 5, kidney failure, the kidneys stop functioning altogether.

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Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN): Glomerulus

The kidneys are extraordinarily good at filtering and removing wastes from the bloodstream (at a rate of 200 quarts each day). The basic filtering unit in the kidney is the glomerulus, a tuft of capillaries that remove wastes.

Image by TheVisualMD

Nitrogenous Wastes

Nitrogenous waste is excreted in different forms by different species. These include (a) ammonia, (b) urea, and (c) uric acid. (credit a: modification of work by Eric Engbretson, USFWS; credit b: modification of work by B. "Moose" Peterson, USFWS; credit c: modification of work by Dave Menke, USFWS)

Image by CNX Openstax

8:29

✔✔✔ What is BUN and Creatinine - Kidney Function Test ✔✔✔

NKN/YouTube

10:12

Acute Renal Failure

Armando Hasudungan/YouTube

5:26

BUN and Creatinine

PhysioPathoPharmaco/YouTube

15:01

Kidney Function Tests and Interpretation of Results.

Medcrine Medical/YouTube

1:42

Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) (Nursing Lab Values)

NURSINGcom/YouTube

11:44

Kidney Disease: Understanding Your Lab Values

UC San Diego Health/YouTube

2:34

BUN Test/Urea: Role in Kidney function Testing- Conditions with High Blood Urea Nitrogen- Dr Kasi MD

Interpret Your Lab Tests/YouTube

4:45

Kidney function test normal range

Shomu's Biology/YouTube

Urea Nitrogen Molecule

TheVisualMD

Male Urinary System

TheVisualMD

Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN): Protein

TheVisualMD

Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN): Kidneys

TheVisualMD

Diagnosing CKD

TheVisualMD

Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN): Glomerulus

TheVisualMD

Nitrogenous Wastes

CNX Openstax

GFR

Glomerular Filtration Rate

Also called: GFR, Estimated GFR, eGFR, Calculated GFR, cGFR

A glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a test that estimates how much blood passes through filters in the kidneys each minute. It helps diagnose kidney disease in its early stages when it's most treatable. It is also used to monitor kidney function in people with kidney disease — the lower the GFR number, the worse the kidney function.

Glomerular Filtration Rate

Also called: GFR, Estimated GFR, eGFR, Calculated GFR, cGFR

A glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a test that estimates how much blood passes through filters in the kidneys each minute. It helps diagnose kidney disease in its early stages when it's most treatable. It is also used to monitor kidney function in people with kidney disease — the lower the GFR number, the worse the kidney function.

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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mL/min/{1.73_m2}
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Your result is Normal.
In adults, the normal eGFR number is more than 90. Normally, eGFR gets lower with age, even in people without kidney disease. An eGFR over 90 with signs of kidney damage, such as protein in their urine, is a sign of kidney disease.
Related conditions
A glomerular filtration rate (GFR) test is a blood test that checks how well your kidneys are working. Your kidneys are two organs on either side of your spine near your waste. They have tiny filters called glomeruli. These filters remove waste and extra water from your blood and gets rid of them through urine (pee).
If your kidneys have been damaged by kidney disease, they can't filter your blood as fast as they should. A GFR test checks for kidney disease by measuring how much blood your kidneys filter each minute.
GFR can be measured directly, but it is a complicated test to do. So health care providers usually estimate GFR based on the amount of certain waste substances in your blood. An estimated GFR is called an eGFR.
To figure out your eGFR, your provider usually uses the results of a blood test that measures your creatinine level. Creatinine is a waste product that comes from normal wear and tear on your muscles. If your kidneys aren't working well, creatinine can build up in your blood.
People make different amounts of creatinine, depending on their size, diet, and activity levels. So, to calculate your eGFR, your provider will use your creatinine levels and other information about you, such as your:
- Age
- Weight
- Height
- Sex
This information is put into a mathematical formula, called a GFR calculator, to find your eGFR.
eGFR may also be calculated using the level of cystatin C in your blood. This is a protein that many cells in your body make. Cystatin C levels are not affected by muscle size, age, or diet, so some researchers think cystatin C provides a more accurate estimate of GFR than creatinine. In certain cases, creatinine and cystatin levels are both used to calculate eGFR in adults.
A GFR test is used to:
- Screen for kidney disease in people without symptoms
- Help diagnose kidney disease in a people who have symptoms
- Help find out how serious kidney disease is
- Monitor people who:
  Have chronic kidney disease (CKD) to see if treatment is helping
  Take medicines that could harm their kidneys
- Check kidney health before people start certain treatments that could affect their kidneys
Early-stage kidney disease doesn't usually cause symptoms, so you may have an eGFR test to check your kidney health as part of a routine exam.
You may also need this test if you have a high risk of getting kidney disease. Your risk may be higher if you:
- Have diabetes
- Have high blood pressure
- Have a family health history of kidney disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure
- Have heart disease
- Are over 50 years old
- Smoke
- Have obesity
If you have a condition that increases you risk of kidney disease, ask your provider how often you should get tested.
Later stage kidney disease does cause symptoms. So, you may need an eGFR test if you have:
- Swelling in your legs, feet, ankles, or hands or face
- Urinating (peeing) more often or less often than usual
- Dry skin and/or itching
- Fatigue
- Muscle cramps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
Your eGFR results may be reported as a number that shows how much blood your kidneys filter per minute. Your test results may also give your creatinine level and/or your cystatin C level.
Ask your provider to explain what your eGFR says about your kidney health. An eGFR isn't a perfect test and may not always reflect kidney damage. It's also possible to have an abnormal result even if you don't have kidney damage.
In general:
- A normal eGFR means that you probably don't have kidney disease.
- An eGFR that's below normal or low may mean that you may have kidney disease.
- A very low eGFR means that you may have kidney failure.
If you're diagnosed with kidney disease, your provider will explain what you can do to protect your kidneys from more damage and help prevent kidney failure.
Your provider may order other tests that check your kidney health. These tests may be ordered with an eGFR or to find the cause of an abnormal eGFR result. They include:
- A protein in urine test. Protein in urine is a sign of kidney damage.
- A microalbumin creatinine ratio test. This test checks for very small amounts of a protein called albumin in a sample of your urine. Albumin in urine may be one of the first signs of kidney disease.
- A BUN (blood urea nitrogen). BUN is a waste product your kidneys remove from blood. The test checks BUN levels in a sample of your blood.
1. Glomerular filtration rate: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [accessed on Oct 05, 2018]
2. Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) [accessed on Oct 05, 2018]
3. 100768: Glomerular Filtration Rate, Estimated (eGFR) | LabCorp [accessed on Oct 05, 2018]
4. http://www.kidneyfund.org/prevention/tests-for-kidney-health/egfr-test.html [accessed on Oct 05, 2018]
5. Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) | NIDDK [accessed on Oct 05, 2018]
6. Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) | National Kidney Foundation [accessed on Oct 05, 2018]
7. Chapter 1: Definition and classification of CKD [accessed on Oct 11, 2018]
8. High estimated glomerular filtration rate is associated with coronary artery calcification in middle-aged Korean men without chronic kidney disease | Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation | Oxford Academic [accessed on Oct 11, 2018]
9. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/research-funding/at-niddk/labs-branches/kidney-diseases-branch/kidney-disease-section/glomerular-disease-primer/kidney-disease [accessed on Oct 11, 2018]

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

Additional Materials (15)

Understanding GFR - Glomerular Filtration Rate

Diagram showing the basic physiologic mechanisms of the kidney

Image by Madhero88

Your Kidney Test Results

Document by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

What are your Kidney Numbers? uACR and eGFR Explained | CKD Heat Map | NKF

Video by National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

Understanding eGFR levels

Video by SelfTestable/YouTube

Nephrology - Glomerular Filtration

Video by Armando Hasudungan/YouTube

What is eGFR, and how is it used to measure kidney function?

Video by National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

How important is it for me to get my eGFR and uACR test if I don't have any symptoms?

Video by National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

What are some things that may affect my eGFR results?

Video by National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

How often should someone get their eGFR measured?

Video by National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

How is race or ethnicity related to eGFR?

Video by National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

eGFR Results: A patient's experience

Video by National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

How is eGFR used to monitor kidney disease and IgAN?

Video by National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

Kidney Disease Stages | CKD Heat Map | NKF

Video by National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

Kidney Disease Prevention and Management | CKD Heat Map | NKF

Video by National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

How are CKD, CVD, and Diabetes Related? | The Kidney Disease, Heart Disease, and Diabetes Connection

Video by National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

Understanding GFR - Glomerular Filtration Rate

Madhero88

Your Kidney Test Results

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

2:27

What are your Kidney Numbers? uACR and eGFR Explained | CKD Heat Map | NKF

National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

4:40

Understanding eGFR levels

SelfTestable/YouTube

14:02

Nephrology - Glomerular Filtration

Armando Hasudungan/YouTube

1:57

What is eGFR, and how is it used to measure kidney function?

National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

2:01

How important is it for me to get my eGFR and uACR test if I don't have any symptoms?

National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

1:19

What are some things that may affect my eGFR results?

National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

1:42

How often should someone get their eGFR measured?

National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

4:17

How is race or ethnicity related to eGFR?

National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

1:35

eGFR Results: A patient's experience

National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

1:18

How is eGFR used to monitor kidney disease and IgAN?

National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

2:40

Kidney Disease Stages | CKD Heat Map | NKF

National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

2:22

Kidney Disease Prevention and Management | CKD Heat Map | NKF

National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

2:12

How are CKD, CVD, and Diabetes Related? | The Kidney Disease, Heart Disease, and Diabetes Connection

National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

Anion Gap

Anion Gap Blood Test

Also called: Anion Gap, AGAP

The anion gap measures the difference—or gap—between the negatively charged and positively charged electrolytes in your blood. If the anion gap is either too high or too low, it may be a sign of a disorder in your lungs, kidneys, or other organ systems.

Anion Gap Blood Test

Also called: Anion Gap, AGAP

The anion gap measures the difference—or gap—between the negatively charged and positively charged electrolytes in your blood. If the anion gap is either too high or too low, it may be a sign of a disorder in your lungs, kidneys, or other organ systems.

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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
meq/L
4
12
Your result is Normal.
The anion gap is a calculation of the difference between the amounts of some negatively charged electrolytes (such as chloride and bicarbonate) and the amount of positively charged electrolytes (such as sodium) in the blood.
Related conditions
Your health care provider may order an anion gap blood test if you have symptoms that your blood acidity may not be normal. These symptoms may include:
- Shortness of breath
- Vomiting
- Arrhythmia (a problem with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat)
- Confusion
- Fatigue
Several types of medical conditions can cause abnormal anion gap test results. Your provider will use the results of the anion gap test, your medical history, and other tests to make a diagnosis.
A high anion gap test result may mean that you may have acidosis (blood that is more acidic than normal). Acidosis may be caused by:
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea
- Too much exercise
- Kidney diseases
- Diabetes (diabetic ketoacidosis)
- Certain medicines and poisons
A low anion gap test result may mean you have alkalosis (blood that is less acidic than normal). But this result is so rare that your provider will usually have you tested again to make sure the results are accurate.
The most common cause of a low anion gap is a low level of albumin, a protein in the blood. Low albumin may be a sign of not eating enough protein, kidney problems, liver disease, heart disease, or some types of cancer.
1. Anion Gap Blood Test: MedlinePlus Medical Test [accessed on Feb 10, 2024]
2. Low Anion Gap: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis [accessed on Sep 29, 2018]
3. Anion Gap (Blood) - Health Encyclopedia - University of Rochester Medical Center [accessed on Sep 29, 2018]
4. Anion Gap: Reference Range, Interpretation, Collection and Panels [accessed on Sep 29, 2018]
5. Electrolytes | LabCorp [accessed on Sep 29, 2018]

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

Additional Materials (30)

Acidosis

General symptoms of acidosis. These usually accompany symptoms of another primary defect (respiratory or metabolic).

Image by Mikael Haggstrom.

Symptoms of Acidosis Alkalosis

Symptoms of Acidosis Alkalosis

Image by OpenStax College

Electrolytes - What Are Electrolytes - Functions Of Electrolytes

Video by Whats Up Dude/YouTube

Why You Need Electrolytes - Can It Help With Getting Stronger?

Video by PictureFit/YouTube

What Do Electrolytes Actually Do?

Video by Reactions/YouTube

Fluid and Electrolytes: Calcium

Video by EmpoweRN/YouTube

Fluids and Electrolytes Sodium

Video by DrBruce Forciea/YouTube

Fluid and Electrolytes: Magnesium

Video by EmpoweRN/YouTube

Fluid and Electrolytes: Sodium

Video by EmpoweRN/YouTube

Fluid and Electrolytes: Chloride

Video by EmpoweRN/YouTube

Fluid & Electrolytes: Phosphate

Video by EmpoweRN/YouTube

Fluid & Electrolytes: Potassium

Video by EmpoweRN/YouTube

Man Drinking Water with Visible Skeletal, Digestive and Cardiovascular Systems

Proper hydration is critical to health. The amount of water in blood must be kept within a narrow range if blood is to flow freely. Electrolytes help maintain the body's fluid balance, but if electrolyte levels are too high, the body retains fluid, which increases blood pressure, the force with which blood pushes against vessel walls. The kidneys help regulate blood pressure by monitoring fluid balance; even a 1% increase in blood sodium will make a person thirsty enough to take a drink. Excessive sweating, diarrhea, vomiting, and diuretics can contribute to a fluid imbalance.

Image by TheVisualMD

Woman with Visible Anatomy Hydrating after a Workout

Proper hydration is critical to health. The amount of water in blood must be kept within a narrow range if blood is to flow freely. Electrolytes help maintain the body's fluid balance, but if electrolyte levels are too high, the body retains fluid, which increases blood pressure, the force with which blood pushes against vessel walls. The kidneys help regulate blood pressure by monitoring fluid balance; even a 1% increase in blood sodium will make a person thirsty enough to take a drink. Excessive sweating, diarrhea, vomiting, and diuretics can contribute to a fluid imbalance.

Image by TheVisualMD

Woman feeling her heart looking concerned, EKG images of regular and irregular heart beat

Thanks to the marketing of sports drinks, most people know that electrolytes are important, even if they are not sure why. An electrolyte is a chemical compound, such as sodium chloride (table salt), that dissociates into its separate elements when dissolved. Electrolytes can be negatively or positively charged (sodium is positive, chloride is negative). This electric potential is what allows electrolytes to do their jobs, which includes the transportation of substances into and out of cells, the transmission of nerve impulses and the contraction of muscle fibers. An electrolyte imbalance can cause muscle spasms, numbness, tingling, fatigue, and confusion; heart rhythm is also sensitive to electrolyte imbalance.

Image by TheVisualMD

Man holding his face, with motion blur indicating dizziness

Thanks to the marketing of sports drinks, most people know that electrolytes are important, even if they are not sure why. An electrolyte is a chemical compound, such as sodium chloride (table salt), that dissociates into its separate elements when dissolved. Electrolytes can be negatively or positively charged (sodium is positive, chloride is negative). This electric potential is what allows electrolytes to do their jobs, which includes the transportation of substances into and out of cells, the transmission of nerve impulses and the contraction of muscle fibers. An electrolyte imbalance can cause muscle spasms, numbness, tingling, fatigue, and confusion.

Image by TheVisualMD

Symptoms of CKD, Potassium Deficiency

The kidneys maintain the blood's pH level (its relative acidity or alkalinity), vital to the body's health. To help maintain that level, the kidneys provide the blood with a buffer solution that compensates for any rise or fall in the level of acidity or alkalinity caused by diet or stress. They do this by adjusting the amount of fluids and vital salts, called electrolytes, in the blood. These electrolytes include sodium, potassium, calcium, and other substances. A potassium deficiency in the body can lead to an irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness, a feeling of pins and needles in the extremities, decreased appetite, and frequent urination.

Image by TheVisualMD

Sodium, Blood Test

Measurements of electrolytes (sodium, calcium, potassium, bicarbonate, and chloride) are routinely included in a blood test known as the basic metabolic panel. If blood levels are abnormal, urine levels are also tested in order to help determine whether the problem is the excessive intake of a particular electrolyte or excessive loss through an underlying metabolic disorder.

Image by TheVisualMD

Fluid Regulation

The body's fluid balance is kept within a narrow range by the kidneys, which constantly monitor and adjust blood levels of electrolytes (sodium, calcium, potassium, bicarbonate, and chloride) as well as blood proteins such as albumin. If the body is unable to self-regulate, however, treatment may involve dietary changes (lower salt intake or increased fluid intake, for example), diuretics or treatment of the underlying disease causing the fluid imbalance.

Image by TheVisualMD

Nephron

Each day our kidneys filter about 200 quarts of blood to extract about 2 quarts of waste, which is then eliminated as urine. The kidneys' delicate filtration units are called nephrons; each kidney has about a million nephrons, and within each nephron are dense forests of tiny capillaries called glomeruli, which remove waste products from the blood while preventing the loss of other components, including proteins, electrolytes and blood cells.

Image by TheVisualMD

Kidneys

Our kidneys are remarkable filters. Each day, they filter about 200 quarts of blood to extract about 2 quarts of wastes, which is then eliminated as urine. The kidneys' delicate filtration units are called nephrons; each kidney has about a million nephrons, and within each nephron are dense forests of tiny capillaries called glomeruli, which remove waste products from the blood while preventing the loss of other components, including proteins, electrolytes and blood cells.

Image by TheVisualMD

Tubule of Nephron Revealing Few Red Blood Cell

Our kidneys are remarkable filters. Each day, they filter about 200 quarts of blood to extract about 2 quarts of wastes, which is then eliminated as urine. The kidneys' delicate filtration units are called nephrons; each kidney has about a million nephrons, and within each nephron are dense forests of tiny capillaries called glomeruli, which remove waste products from the blood while preventing the loss of other components, including proteins, electrolytes and blood cells. The glomerular filtration rate is the amount of blood that is filtered by the glomeruli per minute.

Image by TheVisualMD

This browser does not support the video element.

Healthy Kidney to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

Animation begins with a still image of a male torso. The image is cropped at the neck to just below the umbilicus. As the camera slowly zooms into the right side of the abdomen just where the right kidney resides, a visualized healthy kidney fades in. The animation continues with the kidney morphing from healthy to Congestive Kidney Disease (CKD). CKD results when the kidneys are increasingly unable to balance adequate levels of electrolytes (like sodium and calcium) and fail to produce enough urine to eliminate the toxins and other waste from the bloodstream.

Video by TheVisualMD

All Charged Up: Electrolytes & Vitality

Image by TheVisualMD

Male Abdominal Cavity Revealing Kidneys

Our kidneys filter about 200 quarts of blood each day to extract about 2 quarts of waste, which is then eliminated as urine. The kidneys help regulate blood pressure by keeping fluids and electrolytes in balance; even a 1% increase in blood sodium will trigger thirst to return fluid balance to normal. The kidneys are also constantly monitoring and adjusting levels of other blood components. Specialized kidney cells that are sensitive to low oxygen levels produce a hormone called erythropoietin (EPO), which in turn promotes the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow.

Image by TheVisualMD

Electrolytes

Importance of Electrolytes : Sodium is an electrolyte that plays a role in many physiological processes, including nerve transmission and muscle contraction. Along with other electrolytes, sodium helps balance bodily fluids and facilitate the movement of materials across cell membranes

Image by TheVisualMD

Salt

Sodium is one of several electrolytes our bodies need to contract muscles, conduct nerve impulses, and maintain proper fluid balance. But chronic intake of too much sodium (in the form of table salt) can lead to serious health problems. If the kidneys cannot efficiently eliminate excess sodium, the body retains water in order to maintain the right concentration of sodium in the bloodstream. This forces the heart to work harder, which raised the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension), heart attacks and strokes. How salt affects blood pressure and health depends on many factors, however, including genes, age, race, and medical conditions.

Image by TheVisualMD

This browser does not support the video element.

Electrolytes

Electrolytes are salts that dissolve in water and separate into smaller atoms or molecules (ions) that carry an electric charge. Why does the body need electrical charges? Like a telephone uses wire to carry the human voice, our cells use electrolytes to carry the messages that control many nerve and muscle functions. Pure water does not conduct electricity very well; if there weren't electrolytes circulating with the body's water, those messages would never be sent. Learn about the electrolytes in your body and what fluids are best to keep your body hydrated.

Video by TheVisualMD

Chloride Ion

Chloride is a salt and electrolyte consisting of two elements, one of which is chlorine. It makes up about 0.15 percent of the body weight and is found mainly in the fluid outside cells. As one of the mineral electrolytes, chloride works closely with sodium and water in the distribution of body fluids. In addition to table salt or sea salt (sodium chloride), vegetables are a common source of chloride. Foods with higher amounts of chloride include seaweed, rye, tomatoes, lettuce, celery, and olives. Potassium chloride is found in most foods and is usually the main ingredient of salt substitutes.

Image by TheVisualMD

Electrolyte Molecule

On every scale, water and sodium (Na+) are dependent on one another for balance. Water, sometimes referred to as the universal solvent, has the capacity to break weak bonds in other molecules. When the broken bond results in a single ion (as in the case of NaCl), water can form oriented solvent shells, meaning that each shell`s relative position in space is unchanging (one pole remains on top, the other on bottom). The shells produce electric fields that oppose the fields produced by the independent ions. As a result of orienting water around the shells, sodium weakens the hydrogen bonds of nearby water molecules. The orientation of water molecules around an ion also contributes to osmosis, the process in which water crosses through semipermeable membranes. The solvent shell can contain between 3 and 7 water molecules, and the number can vary over time. 5 is the most common configuration. The location of water relative to Na+ falls into patterns of three molecules. This 3D model is based on the two configurations that occur most frequently. Water is shown as bright blue and sodium as darker blue.

Image by TheVisualMD

Acidosis

Mikael Haggstrom.

Symptoms of Acidosis Alkalosis

OpenStax College

1:12

Electrolytes - What Are Electrolytes - Functions Of Electrolytes

Whats Up Dude/YouTube

1:47

Why You Need Electrolytes - Can It Help With Getting Stronger?

PictureFit/YouTube

2:42

What Do Electrolytes Actually Do?

Reactions/YouTube

8:00

Fluid and Electrolytes: Calcium

EmpoweRN/YouTube

3:04

Fluids and Electrolytes Sodium

DrBruce Forciea/YouTube

4:19

Fluid and Electrolytes: Magnesium

EmpoweRN/YouTube

9:43

Fluid and Electrolytes: Sodium

EmpoweRN/YouTube

3:26

Fluid and Electrolytes: Chloride

EmpoweRN/YouTube

6:36

Fluid & Electrolytes: Phosphate

EmpoweRN/YouTube

8:19

Fluid & Electrolytes: Potassium

EmpoweRN/YouTube

Man Drinking Water with Visible Skeletal, Digestive and Cardiovascular Systems

TheVisualMD

Woman with Visible Anatomy Hydrating after a Workout

TheVisualMD

Woman feeling her heart looking concerned, EKG images of regular and irregular heart beat

TheVisualMD

Man holding his face, with motion blur indicating dizziness

TheVisualMD

Symptoms of CKD, Potassium Deficiency

TheVisualMD

Sodium, Blood Test

TheVisualMD

Fluid Regulation

TheVisualMD

Nephron

TheVisualMD

Kidneys

TheVisualMD

Tubule of Nephron Revealing Few Red Blood Cell

TheVisualMD

0:16

Healthy Kidney to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

TheVisualMD

All Charged Up: Electrolytes & Vitality

TheVisualMD

Male Abdominal Cavity Revealing Kidneys

TheVisualMD

Electrolytes

TheVisualMD

Salt

TheVisualMD

1:31

Electrolytes

TheVisualMD

Chloride Ion

TheVisualMD

Electrolyte Molecule

TheVisualMD

Microalbumin Creatinine Ratio

Microalbumin Creatinine Ratio

Also called: Urine Albumin-Creatinine Ratio, uACR, Urine Microalbumin

A microalbumin creatinine ratio test measures the amount of albumin in urine. The test compares the amount of albumin to the amount of creatinine in your urine. This is a more accurate way to measure the amount of albumin in your urine. Albumin in urine may be a sign of kidney disease.

Microalbumin Creatinine Ratio

Also called: Urine Albumin-Creatinine Ratio, uACR, Urine Microalbumin

A microalbumin creatinine ratio test measures the amount of albumin in urine. The test compares the amount of albumin to the amount of creatinine in your urine. This is a more accurate way to measure the amount of albumin in your urine. Albumin in urine may be a sign of kidney disease.

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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mg/g{creat}
30
300
Your result is Normal.
Healthy kidneys stop most of your albumin from getting through their filters and entering the urine. There should be very little or no albumin in your urine. A result in this range is considered “normal” or “at goal”.
Related conditions
A microalbumin creatinine ratio test is most often used to look for signs of kidney disease in people who have a high risk of developing it, but don't have symptoms. You're more likely to develop kidney disease if you:
- Have diabetes
- Have high blood pressure
- Have a family health history of kidney disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure
- Have heart disease
- Are over 50 years old
- Smoke
- Have obesity
If you have had an abnormal albumin in urine test or have been diagnosed with kidney disease, a microalbumin creatinine ratio test may also be used to monitor your condition or to see how well your treatment is working.
There are several ways to collect a urine sample for a microalbumin creatinine ratio test:
- A "random" or "spot" urine sample means that you collect a single urine sample at any time of the day. You will usually collect this sample at your provider's office or at a medical lab.
- An early morning or timed urine sample is collected first thing in the morning or after not going to the bathroom for four hours. You'll likely be given a kit and instructions to collect your urine at home.
- A 24-hour urine sample requires you to collect all your urine over a 24-hour period. This test is usually used to follow up on abnormal results from a test on a single sample of urine. A 24-hour urine test is the most accurate way to measure albumin in urine.
For a random urine sample, a health care professional may give you a cleansing wipe, a small container, and instructions for how to use the "clean catch" method to collect your urine sample. It's important to follow these instructions so that germs from your skin don't get into the sample:
1. Wash your hands with soap and water and dry them.
2. Clean your genital area with the cleansing wipe:
  For a penis, wipe the entire head (end) of the penis. If you have a foreskin, pull it back first.
  For a vagina, separate the labia (the folds of skin around the vagina) and wipe the inner sides from front to back.
3. Urinate into the toilet for a few seconds and then stop the flow. Start urinating again, this time into the container. Don't let the container touch your body.
4. Collect at least an ounce or two of urine into the container. The container should have markings to show how much urine is needed.
5. Finish urinating into the toilet.
6. Put the cap on the container and return it as instructed.
For home collection for an early morning or timed urine sample, the instructions will be about the same as for a random urine sample. Be sure to follow the instructions that come with your collection kit.
For a 24-hour urine sample, you will be given a special container to collect your urine over a full day and instructions on how to collect and store your sample. Your provider will tell you what time to start. The test generally includes the following steps:
- To begin, urinate in the toilet as usual. Do not collect this urine. Write down the time you urinated.
- For the next 24 hours, collect all your urine in the container./li>
- During the collection period, store the urine container in a refrigerator or in a cooler with ice.
- 24 hours after starting the test, try to urinate if you can. This is the last urine collection for the test.
- Return the container with your urine to your provider's office or the laboratory as instructed.
If you have hemorrhoids that bleed or are having your menstrual period, tell your provider before your test.
Before providing your urine sample, you may need to avoid:
- Intense exercise. Hard exercise may increase the amount of albumin in your urine for a short time.
- Eating meat. Meat can affect your creatinine levels, so you may be asked not to eat any for a day before your test.
Check with your provider about how to prepare for your test. Be sure ask if any medicines or supplements you take could affect your results.
If your microalbumin creatinine ratio shows an abnormal amount of albumin in your urine, you will likely need more tests to confirm your results. That's because temporary increases in albumin levels may be caused by exercise, certain medicines, fever, and inflammation in the body.
Usually, you will have two more tests in the three to six months after your first test. If two out of three tests show abnormal levels of albumin in your urine, you may have early-stage kidney disease.
Higher or increasing amounts of albumin in your urine usually mean you have:
- More serious kidney disease that's likely to get worse faster
- A higher risk for developing problems with your heart and blood vessels (vascular diseases)
Smaller amounts of albumin in your urine don't always mean you have kidney disease. Other conditions that cause inflammation may increase albumin in urine, including:
- Urinary tract infections
- Gum infections (periodontitis)
- Hepatitis
Your test results may also be affected by how much muscle you have, and your diet, age, and race.
If you have an abnormal result, your provider will usually order other kidney tests, including a blood test called an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) test. Talk with your provider about what your test results mean. If you're diagnosed with early kidney disease, there are steps you can take to reduce the amount of albumin in your urine and protect your health.
1. Microalbumin Creatinine Ratio: MedlinePlus Medical Test [accessed on Jan 23, 2024]
2. Urine Test: Microalbumin-to-Creatinine Ratio (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth. Mar 17, 2023 [accessed on Jan 23, 2024]
3. Urine Albumin and Albumin to Creatinine Ratio Test - Testing.com. Nov 29, 2022 [accessed on Jan 23, 2024]
4. Urine albumin-creatinine ratio (uACR) | National Kidney Foundation. May 23, 2023 [accessed on Jan 23, 2024]

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

Additional Materials (25)

Pyelonephritis (Kidney Infection)

Pain caused by Pyelonephritis

Image by Grook Da Oger

In an intravenous pyelogram of a medullary sponge kidney, cysts appear as clusters of light.

Drawing of a medullary sponge kidney as seen in an intravenous pyelogram. The background is black. The large part of the kidney appears to be porous, like a sponge. Two white spots on the kidney are circled. A label identifies the white spots as cysts

Image by NIDDK/NIH

Kidney and Stem Cell Creating Red Blood Cell

Kidney and Stem Cell Creating Red Blood Cell : We are used to thinking of our kidneys mostly as hardworking filters that rid our bodies of wastes and excess water. But the kidneys are also constantly monitoring and adjusting levels of key substances in the blood, depending on what the body needs. Specialized cells in the kidney that are very sensitive to low oxygen levels, for example, produce a hormone called erythropoietin (EPO), which in turn promotes the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. The boost in red blood cells increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

Image by TheVisualMD

Cut away of Kidney with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)

Three-dimensional visualization reconstructed from scanned human data. Anterior view of left kidney affected by polycystic kidney disease. Polycystic kidney disease is generally an inherited condition, but can also be associated with long-term kidney problems, and is one of the most common causes of kidney failure in adults. The inherited condition may remain dormant until middle age, but the disease may progress quickly as the kidneys become enlarged and filled with cysts. Polycystic kidney disease progresses to renal failure, and if untreated with dialysis or transplantation, will result in death.

Image by TheVisualMD

Kidney, cross section

The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped, fist-sized organs found in the lower back. They are protected by layers of fat and muscle and partially sheltered by the ribs. Kidneys have a hollow middle called the renal sinus. The renal sinus is filled with ducts, or calyces, which drain the urine out of the kidneys, and with the renal artery and vein and their branches, which bring blood to and from the kidney.

Image by TheVisualMD

This browser does not support the video element.

Chronic Kidney Disease Progression

An timelapse animation of the progression chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a healthy kidney. The scene shows an oval cut in the skin and within its center is a healthy kidney surrounded by the perirenal fat. On either side of the screen are pieces of blue cloth making it resemble an operating table. The animation jumps from frame to frame in a jittery manner that mimmicks time lapse photography. As the scene progresses, the kidney decreases in size and becomes more granular. The amount of perirenal fat also increases further showing the difference in size between the healthy and diseased kidney.

Video by TheVisualMD

Kidney and Urinary System

3D visualization reconstructed from scanned human data of the urinary system revealing anterior view of the kidneys, ureters and bladder. The urinary system is responsible for fluid balance and waste excretion. Blood enters the kidneys where waste products are excreted to form a fluid called filtrate. Filtrate continues to collect additional waste products and minerals as it travels through the winding tubules of the kidney. Eventually the filtrate becomes urine as it is channeled out of the kidney, into the ureters, down to the bladder and eventually out through the urethra to the external body.

Image by TheVisualMD

Renal Circulation

Kidney Cortex, cross section : The cortex is the outermost region of the kidney. It is densely packed with winding blood vessels, convoluted tubules, and collecting ducts.

Image by TheVisualMD

Nephron

Kidney Nephron with Visible Glomerulus : A nephron is a functional unit of the kidney.

Image by TheVisualMD

Nephron of Kidney

The nephron is composed of looping and folding tubules that at first glance look like an impossibly tangled knot of highways, side roads and interchanges. But in fact, the nephron directs the traffic flow effortlessly. When stretched out, a nephron would be almost a couple of feet in length and there are about a million nephrons in each kidney. A nephron is composed of two basic parts: the glomerulus and the tubule. The glomerulus, part of the vascular system, is a tuft of capillaries that filters the wastes and fluid from the blood. The tubules then catch, concentrate and excrete the waste into the urine. The walls of the tubules are made of specialized cells, which serve as \"check points\" for the waste flowing by them. Hormonal sensors in these cells determine which substances should be excreted as waste and which substances will be reabsorbed into the blood to nourish the body's cells. The specific materials the cells are assigned to reabsorb or secrete include water and essential nutrients, salts and minerals, depending on where in the tubules the cells are located. From the glomerulus until the collecting duct, intricate and minute calculations are at constant play within the nephron. The production of urine does not just result in a waste product but also protects the fine balance of substances required to keep the body healthy.

Image by TheVisualMD

Right Kidney and Ureter

3D visualization based on scanned human data of the right kidney.

Image by TheVisualMD

Batting Sequence of Baseball Player with Kidney Transplant

This image show the batting sequence of baseball player with transplanted kidney. His two diseased kidneys remain in his body; his left kidney has a congenital abnormality that makes the position of his left kidney lower than his right.

Image by TheVisualMD

Kidney with Blood Vessel

This 3D visualization reveals the vasculature of a kidney. Kidneys help to remove excess water and salts from the body and lower the volume of blood by producing the waste product, urine.

Image by TheVisualMD

Right Kidney

Editorial image : 3D rendering of a right kidney.

Image by TheVisualMD

Nephron

Each day our kidneys filter about 200 quarts of blood to extract about 2 quarts of waste, which is then eliminated as urine. The kidneys' delicate filtration units are called nephrons; each kidney has about a million nephrons, and within each nephron are dense forests of tiny capillaries called glomeruli, which remove waste products from the blood while preventing the loss of other components, including proteins, electrolytes and blood cells.

Image by TheVisualMD

Translucent Male Body Showing Kidney and Intestine

The capillaries that carry the blood supply to the kidneys and intestines act differently than capillaries elsewhere. The role of the kidneys is to filter wastes out of the blood for disposal. Filtration is a multi-step process. Glomeruli - ball-shaped bundles of capillaries - are the filtering units of the kidney. High pressure forces out fluid and small waste products through slits in the capillaries within the glomeruli. The slits are too small to let blood cells and large molecules pass through; these are kept for later recycling. Thus, the pressure in the glomeruli remains high, as there is little to no resorption from the surrounding cells. In contrast, the main role of the intestines is to provide nutrients to the body. The surrounding capillaries are at relatively low pressure, which allows nutrients to flow into the circulatory system with little filtration back into the intestines.

Image by TheVisualMD

Collecting Tubule and Capillary of Kidney

Medical visualization of a cross-section view of a collecting tubule and capillary in the kidney. The remaining salts, sugars and water that are not reabsorbed into the surrounding veins and arteries are passed through a collecting tubule to travel to the urinary bladder.

Image by TheVisualMD

This browser does not support the video element.

Kidney

Micro Magnetic Resonance Imaging based, stylized visualization. Slow zoom in the the skin into the kidneys. The skin slowing fades away to reveal two kidneys with the ureters attached to the bladder. The ribcage, spine and pelvis is visible. Camera continues to zoom into the left kidney.

Video by TheVisualMD

Drawing of a kidney with an inset of a nephron

The glomeruli are sets of looping blood vessels in nephrons--the tiny working units of the kidneys that filter wastes and remove extra fluid from the blood.

Image by NIDDK Image Library

Drawing of a medullary sponge kidney (MSK)

The large part of the kidney appears to be porous, like a sponge. In MSK, cysts form in the collecting tubes and keep urine from flowing freely through the kidneys.

Image by NIDDK Image Library

Drawing that shows a microscopic view of a nephron with cysts. Blood vessels are shown on the left side of the picture. A urine-collecting tube is shown on the right side of the picture. In the middle, branching blood vessels intertwine with the branching urine-collecting tubes. The larger urine-collecting tube on the right is covered with fluid-filled sacs called cysts

In the nephron (left), tiny blood vessels intertwine with urine-collecting tubes. Each kidney contains about 1 million nephrons.

Image by NIDDK Image Library

Drawing of a kidney

Drawing of a kidney. Labels show where blood with wastes enter the kidney, clean blood leaves the kidney, and wastes (urine) are sent to the bladder. An inset shows a microscopic view of a nephron. Labels point to the glomerulus and the tubule. In the nephron (left) tiny blood vessels intertwine with fluid-collecting tubes. Each kidney contains about 1 million nephrons.

Image by NIDDK Image Library

Drawing of a nephrostomy tube with the kidney, nephrostomy tube, and urine collection bag. The curled end of the nephrostomy tube is within the left kidney. The nephrostomy tube exits the body through the skin. A urine collection bag is connected to the external end of the nephrostomy tube.

Nephrostomy tube.

Image by NIDDK Image Library

Nephrostomy tube

Drawing of a nephrostomy tube with the kidney, nephrostomy tube, and urine collection bag. The curled end of the nephrostomy tube is within the left kidney. The nephrostomy tube exits the body through the skin. A urine collection bag is connected to the external end of the nephrostomy tube.

Image by NIDDK Image Library

Kidney and Abdominal Aorta

3D visualization based on scanned human data of an anterior view of the kidneys. The kidneys are responsible for cleaning and filtering the blood. When they detect low amounts of oxygen, some of their cells produce a hormone erythropoietin that stimulates the production of more cells.

Image by TheVisualMD

Pyelonephritis (Kidney Infection)

Grook Da Oger

In an intravenous pyelogram of a medullary sponge kidney, cysts appear as clusters of light.

NIDDK/NIH

Kidney and Stem Cell Creating Red Blood Cell

TheVisualMD

Cut away of Kidney with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)

TheVisualMD

Kidney, cross section

TheVisualMD

0:20

Chronic Kidney Disease Progression

TheVisualMD

Kidney and Urinary System

TheVisualMD

Renal Circulation

TheVisualMD

Nephron

TheVisualMD

Nephron of Kidney

TheVisualMD

Right Kidney and Ureter

TheVisualMD

Batting Sequence of Baseball Player with Kidney Transplant

TheVisualMD

Kidney with Blood Vessel

TheVisualMD

Right Kidney

TheVisualMD

Nephron

TheVisualMD

Translucent Male Body Showing Kidney and Intestine

TheVisualMD

Collecting Tubule and Capillary of Kidney

TheVisualMD

0:17

Kidney

TheVisualMD

Drawing of a kidney with an inset of a nephron

NIDDK Image Library

Drawing of a medullary sponge kidney (MSK)

NIDDK Image Library

Drawing that shows a microscopic view of a nephron with cysts. Blood vessels are shown on the left side of the picture. A urine-collecting tube is shown on the right side of the picture. In the middle, branching blood vessels intertwine with the branching urine-collecting tubes. The larger urine-collecting tube on the right is covered with fluid-filled sacs called cysts

NIDDK Image Library

Drawing of a kidney

NIDDK Image Library

Drawing of a nephrostomy tube with the kidney, nephrostomy tube, and urine collection bag. The curled end of the nephrostomy tube is within the left kidney. The nephrostomy tube exits the body through the skin. A urine collection bag is connected to the external end of the nephrostomy tube.

NIDDK Image Library

Nephrostomy tube

NIDDK Image Library

Kidney and Abdominal Aorta

TheVisualMD

Electrocardiogram

Electrocardiogram

Also called: EKG, ECG

An electrocardiogram (EKG) is a test that measures electrical signals in your heart. An abnormal EKG can be a sign of heart damage or disease.

Electrocardiogram

Also called: EKG, ECG

An electrocardiogram (EKG) is a test that measures electrical signals in your heart. An abnormal EKG can be a sign of heart damage or disease.

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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
Your result is Normal.
EKG results are normal with a consistent heartbeat and rhythm.
Related conditions
An electrocardiogram (EKG) test is a simple, painless, and quick test that records your heart's electrical activity. Each time your heart beats, an electrical signal travels through your heart. The signal triggers your heart's four chambers to contract (squeeze) in the proper rhythm so that your heart can pump blood to your body.
An EKG recording of these signals looks like wavy lines. Your provider can read these lines to look for abnormal heart activity that may be a sign of heart disease or damage.
An EKG can show:
- How fast your heart is beating
- Whether the rhythm of your heartbeat is steady or irregular
- The strength and timing of the electrical signals passing through each part of your heart
Sometimes information from an EKG can help measure the size and position of your heart's chambers.
An EKG is often the first test you'll have if you have signs of a heart condition. It may be done in your provider's office, an outpatient clinic, in a hospital before surgery, or as part of another heart test called a stress test.
An EKG test is also called an ECG. EKG is based on the German spelling, elektrokardiogramm. EKG may be preferred over ECG to avoid confusion with an EEG, a test that measures brain waves.
An EKG test is used to help diagnose and monitor many types of heart conditions and their treatment. These conditions include:
- Arrhythmia
- Cardiomyopathy
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Heart valve diseases
- Congenital heart defects
EKG tests are mainly used for people who have symptoms of a heart condition or have already been diagnosed with a heart condition. They are not generally used to screen people who don't have symptoms unless they have an increased risk of developing heart disease. Your provider can explain your risk for heart disease and let you know if need to have an EKG test. In certain cases, your provider may have you see a cardiologist, a doctor who specializes in heart diseases.
You may need an EKG test if you have symptoms of a heart condition, including:
- Chest pain
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- A decrease in your ability to exercise
You may also need an EKG to:
- Find out if you had a heart attack in the past but didn't know it
- Monitor your heart if you have a known heart condition
- Check how well your heart treatment is working, including medicine and/or a pacemaker
- Check your heart health:
  Before having surgery
  If you have an increased risk for developing heart disease because:
  Heart disease runs in your family
  You have another condition, such as diabetes, that makes your risk higher than normal
An EKG test only takes a few minutes. It generally includes these steps:
- You will lie on an exam table.
- A provider will place several electrodes (small sensors that stick to your skin) on your arms, legs, and chest. The provider may need to shave body hair to make sure the electrodes stay on.
- The electrodes are attached by wires to a computer or a special EKG machine
- You will lie very still while your heart's electrical activity is recorded on a computer or printed on paper by an EKG machine.
An EKG is a "snapshot" of your heart's activity over a very short time. If you have heart symptoms that come and go, a regular EKG may not catch the problem. In that case, your provider may recommend that you wear a small portable EKG monitor that can record your heart for days or longer while you do your normal activities. You may also need a longer EKG recording if your provider wants to check how well your heart is working after a heart attack or to see if treatment is helping you.
There are many types of long-term EKG monitors. The two main groups are Holter monitors, which can be worn for up to two days, and event monitors, which may record your heart activity for weeks to years depending on the type.
A Holter monitor is about the size of a small camera. You usually wear it on a belt or strap around your neck for a day or two. Wires under your clothes attach to electrodes that stick to your chest. The monitor records your heart's electrical signals the whole time you're wearing it. You may be asked to keep a diary of your symptoms during the test period. After the test period, you remove the monitor and return it according to the instructions. A provider will review the recording of your heart's electrical activity from the monitor.
An event monitor records your heart's electrical activity when you press a button or when the device detects abnormal heart activity. There two main types of event monitors:
- Event monitors that you wear or carry with you. You wear some monitors on your chest or wrist. Other monitors are designed to carry. If you have symptoms, you hold the monitor to your chest. These event monitors may be used for weeks to months. Some of them wirelessly transmit information about your heart to a provider. Others must be returned so a provider can examine the recorded information.
- Event monitors that are inserted under the skin of your chest. These are called implantable event monitors. They are put under your skin during minor surgery that's often done in a doctor's office. These monitors can track your heart's electrical activity for years. You may need this type of EKG monitor if you had a stroke or frequent fainting, and your provider hasn't found the cause. Implantable monitors wirelessly transmit the information they record so your provider can regularly check it.
1. Electrocardiogram: MedlinePlus Medical Test [accessed on Mar 09, 2023]
2. Electrocardiogram: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [accessed on Feb 04, 2019]

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

Additional Materials (35)

How to Read an Electrocardiogram (ECG): Introduction – Cardiology | Lecturio

Video by Lecturio Medical/YouTube

Major Types of Heart Block

Video by Jeff Otjen/YouTube

How An ECG Works

Video by LivingHealthyChicago/YouTube

This browser does not support the video element.

What are Arrhythmias?

Your heart is electric. In this video you'll see how your heart's electrical system works, and what happens when it malfunctions. Voyage inside the human body as Dr. Mehmet Oz and others explain the dangers of heart arrhythmias, including tachycardia, bradycardia, and atrial fibrillation.

Video by TheVisualMD

12 Lead ECG Explained, Animation

Video by Alila Medical Media/YouTube

Bundle Branch Block, Animation.

Video by Alila Medical Media/YouTube

QRS Transitional Zone. See link for real voice update in description!

Video by Alila Medical Media/YouTube

ECG Interpretation Basics - ST Segment Changes. See link for real voice update in description!

Video by Alila Medical Media/YouTube

Cardiac Axis Interpretation. See link for real voice update in description!

Video by Alila Medical Media/YouTube

Electrical system of the heart | Circulatory system physiology | NCLEX-RN | Khan Academy

Video by khanacademymedicine/YouTube

Cardiovascular | EKG Basics

Video by Ninja Nerd/YouTube

Cardiovascular | EKG's

Video by Ninja Nerd/YouTube

Normal sinus rhythm on an EKG | Circulatory System and Disease | NCLEX-RN | Khan Academy

Video by khanacademymedicine/YouTube

Cardiac Conduction System and Understanding ECG, Animation.

Video by Alila Medical Media/YouTube

Willem Einthoven and the ECG - Stuff of Genius

Video by Stuff of Genius - HowStuffWorks/YouTube

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

A useful tool for determining whether a person has heart disease, an electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart. An ECG, which is painless (no electricity is sent through the body), is used to measure damage to the heart, how fast the heart is beating and whether it is beating normally, the effects of drugs or devices used to control the heart (such as a pacemaker), and the size and position of the heart chambers.

Image by TheVisualMD

Cardiac cycle

Cardiac Cycle vs Electrocardiogram

Image by OpenStax College

Medical Checkups

Image by TheVisualMD

Electrocardiogram

Electrocardiograms (EKGs) are the most commonly given test used to diagnose coronary artery disease. They record the heart's electrical activity and show evidence of angina or heart attack.

Image by TheVisualMD

electrocardiogram-illustration made up from Medications

https://pixabay.com/en/electrocardiogram-blood-pressure-ekg-2858693/

Image by GDJ

Electrocardiogram

A normal tracing shows the P wave, QRS complex, and T wave. Also indicated are the PR, QT, QRS, and ST intervals, plus the P-R and S-T segments.

Image by CNX Openstax

What To Expect After an Electrocardiogram

Normal ECG/EKG complex with labels

Image by Derivative: Hazmat2 Original: Hank van Helvete

Cardiac Stress Test

The image shows a patient having a stress test. Electrodes are attached to the patient's chest and connected to an EKG (electrocardiogram) machine. The EKG records the heart's electrical activity. A blood pressure cuff is used to record the patient's blood pressure while he walks on a treadmill.

Image by National Heart Lung and Blood Institute

Relationship between the Cardiac Cycle and ECG

Initially, both the atria and ventricles are relaxed (diastole). The P wave represents depolarization of the atria and is followed by atrial contraction (systole). Atrial systole extends until the QRS complex, at which point, the atria relax. The QRS complex represents depolarization of the ventricles and is followed by ventricular contraction. The T wave represents the repolarization of the ventricles and marks the beginning of ventricular relaxation.

Image by CNX Openstax

The Electric Heart

Image by TheVisualMD

Electrocardiogram (EKG)

Electrocardiogram (EKG) is a test used to measure the electrical activity of the heart.

Image by U.S. National Library of Medicine

Comparison of Arrhythmia and Normal ECG

As the muscle tissue in an overstressed heart expands, it tears and scars. The resulting tissue - hardened and marred - does not conduct electricity well. The result is that the system can no longer be relied on to deliver the carefully synchronized pattern of jolts needed to keep the heart pumping smoothly. Doctors call it \"arrhythmia.\" The heart is literally \"skipping a beat.\" This can be measured by an electrocardiogram (ECG). In some cases, arrhythmia can mean simply that the heartbeat is too fast or too slow - a bothersome but not necessarily life-threatening condition. In the worst cases, the arrhythmia indicates a potentially lethal instability in the heart's electric system. The signals that control the heart's contractions get crossed and the heart spasms. If not corrected immediately, this fibrillation of the heart is often fatal. In the U.S., more than 1,000 people die every day from sudden cardiac death, or cardiac arrest.

Image by TheVisualMD

Heart Revealing Chamber and Valve

Your heart beats faster or slower depending on information from your brain, which monitors your body's need for blood. However, the basic rhythm of your heart is automatic; it does not depend on signals from your brain. Your heart cells can generate their own electrical signals, which trigger the contractions and cause the entire heart to pump in synchrony. A specialized bundle of muscle and nerve cells called the sinoatrial node (SA node) sits at the top of the right atrium and is the pacemaker of the heart. It generates the signal for the atria to contract and send blood to the ventricles. A similar node - the atrioventricular or AV node - sits at the atrioventricular septum near the bottom of the right atrium and relays the signal from the SA node to the ventricles to contract and pump blood out of the heart. An electrocardiogram (ECG) measures the electrical signals given off by these two nodes and their conduction through the heart. By looking at the frequency and the height of the peaks and valleys of these signals on an ECG, healthcare professionals get a very good idea of how well the electrical system of your heart is working.

Image by TheVisualMD

Electrocardigram

An electrocardiogram (EKG) detects and records the heart's electrical activity. When the electrical impulse passes through the atria a small peak is recorded (P), followed by a steep spike as it erupts through the ventricles (R), and then another small peak (T) as the wave passes through and the heart repolarizes (recharges) itself for the next beat.

Image by TheVisualMD

Electro- cardiogram

Electrocardiograms, or EKGs, record the electrical activity of the heart. Since injured heart muscle conducts electrical impulses abnormally, the EKG shows if the patient has had or is having a heart attack. It is usually the first test performed.

Image by TheVisualMD

SinusRhythmLabels

Schematic diagram of normal sinus rhythm for a human heart as seen on ECG. In atrial fibrillation, however, the P waves, which represent depolarization of the atria, are absent.

Image by Agateller (Anthony Atkielski)

How To Use an Automated External Defibrillator

The image shows a typical setup using an automated external defibrillator (AED). The AED has step-by-step instructions and voice prompts that enable an untrained bystander to correctly use the machine.

Image by National Heart Lung and Blood Institute

Who Needs an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator?

Lead II (2) ECG EKG strip of an AICD ICD converting a patient back into thier baseline cardiac ryhthm. The AICD fires near the end of the strip, where the straight line is seen.

Image by Public Domain

Cardiac Cycle

CG Animated Human Heart cut section showing the atria, ventricles and valves, synced with wiggers diagram.

Image by DrJanaOfficial/Wikimedia

Mammalian Heart and Blood Vessels

The beating of the heart is regulated by an electrical impulse that causes the characteristic reading of an ECG. The signal is initiated at the sinoatrial valve. The signal then (a) spreads to the atria, causing them to contract. The signal is (b) delayed at the atrioventricular node before it is passed on to the (c) heart apex. The delay allows the atria to relax before the (d) ventricles contract. The final part of the ECG cycle prepares the heart for the next beat.

Image by CNX Openstax

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Blood Pressure Test

Blood Pressure Test

Also called: Blood pressure reading, Blood pressure screening, Systolic (maximum) pressure over diastolic (minimum) pressure

A blood pressure measurement is a test most often used to check for high blood pressure, a common condition that increases the risk for heart disease and stroke. The test can diagnose high blood pressure early, so it can be treated before it causes serious complications.

Blood Pressure Test

Also called: Blood pressure reading, Blood pressure screening, Systolic (maximum) pressure over diastolic (minimum) pressure

A blood pressure measurement is a test most often used to check for high blood pressure, a common condition that increases the risk for heart disease and stroke. The test can diagnose high blood pressure early, so it can be treated before it causes serious complications.

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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mm Hg
90
121
130
140
Your result is Normal.
Systolic blood pressure is the pressure inside the body's arteries as the heart beats while pumping blood. It is the upper (higher) number of the two measuring blood pressure.
Related conditions
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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mm Hg
60
81
90
Your result is Normal.
Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest between beats. It is the lower number of the two measuring blood pressure.
Related conditions
Each time your heart beats, it pumps blood into your arteries. A blood pressure measurement is a test that measures the force (pressure) in your arteries as your heart pumps. Blood pressure is measured as two numbers:
- Systolic blood pressure (the first and higher number) measures pressure inside your arteries when the heart beats.
- Diastolic blood pressure (the second and lower number) measures the pressure inside the artery when the heart rests between beats.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects tens of millions of adults in the United States. It increases the risk of life-threatening conditions including heart attack and stroke. But high blood pressure rarely causes symptoms. A blood pressure measurement helps diagnose high blood pressure early, so it may be treated before it leads to serious complications.
A blood pressure measurement is most often used to diagnose high blood pressure.
Blood pressure that's too low, known as hypotension, is much less common. But you may get tested for low blood pressure if you have certain symptoms. Unlike high blood pressure, low blood pressure usually causes symptoms. These include:
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Nausea
- Cold, sweaty skin
- Pale skin
- Fainting
- Weakness
A blood pressure measurement is often included as part of a regular checkup. Adults 18 years and older should have their blood pressure measured at least once every two to five years. You should get tested every year if you have certain risk factors. You may be at higher risk if you:
- Are 40 years old or older
- Are overweight or have obesity
- Have a family history of heart disease or diabetes
- Take birth control pills
- Are Black/African American. Black/African Americans have a higher rate of high blood pressure than other racial and ethnic groups
You may need this test if you have symptoms of low blood pressure.
A blood pressure test includes the following steps:
- You will sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
- You will rest your arm on a table or other surface, so your arm is level with your heart. You may be asked to roll up your sleeve.
- Your provider will wrap a blood pressure cuff around your arm. A blood pressure cuff is a strap-like device. It should fit snugly around your upper arm, with the bottom edge placed just above your elbow.
- Your provider will inflate the blood pressure cuff using a small hand pump or by pressing a button on an automated device.
- Your provider will measure the pressure manually (by hand) or with an automated device.
  If manually, he or she will place a stethoscope over the major artery in your upper arm to listen to the blood flow and pulse as the cuff inflates and deflates.
  If using an automated device, the blood pressure cuff automatically inflates, deflates, and measures pressure.
- As the blood pressure cuff inflates, you'll feel it tighten around your arm.
- Your provider will then open a valve on the cuff to slowly release air from it. As the cuff deflates, blood pressure will fall.
- As the pressure falls, a measurement is taken when the sound of blood pulsing is first heard. This is the systolic pressure.
- As the air continues to be let out, the blood pulsing sound will start to go away. When it completely stops, another measurement is taken. This is the diastolic pressure.
This test only takes about one minute to complete.

Your results, also known as a blood pressure reading, will contain two numbers. The top or first number is the systolic pressure. The bottom or second number is the diastolic pressure. High blood pressure readings are also labeled by categories, ranging from normal to crisis. Your reading may show your blood pressure is:

Blood Pressure Category	Systolic Blood Pressure		Diastolic Blood Pressure
Normal	Less than 120	and	Less than 80
High Blood Pressure (no other heart risk factors)	140 or higher	or	90 or higher
High Blood Pressure (with other heart risk factors, according to some providers)	130 or higher	or	80 or higher
Dangerously high blood pressure - seek medical care right away	180 or higher	and	120 or higher

If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure, your provider may recommend lifestyle changes and/or medicines to control your blood pressure. Your provider may also recommend that you regularly check your blood pressure at home with an automated blood pressure monitor. An at-home blood pressure monitor usually includes a blood pressure cuff and a digital device to record and display blood pressure readings.

Home monitoring is not a replacement for regular visits to your provider. But it can provide important information, such as whether treatment is working or your condition may have worsened. Also, home monitoring may make the test less stressful. Many people get nervous about getting their blood pressure taken at a provider's office. This is called "white coat syndrome." It can cause a temporary rise in blood pressure, making the results less accurate. For more information about home monitoring of blood pressure, talk to your provider.

If you were tested for low blood pressure, a blood pressure reading of 90 systolic, 60 diastolic (90/60) or lower is considered abnormal. Treatments for low blood pressure may include medicines and making certain changes to your diet.

If you were diagnosed with high blood pressure, your provider may recommend one or more of the following lifestyle changes.
- Exercise regularly. Staying active can help lower your blood pressure and also help manage your weight. Most adults should aim for 150 minutes of physical activity per week. Check with your provider before beginning an exercise program.
- Keep a healthy weight. If you are overweight, losing as little as 5 pounds can lower your blood pressure.
- Eat a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetable, and whole grains. Limit foods high in saturated fat and total fat.
- Reduce salt in your diet. Most adults should have less than 1500 mg of salt per day.
- Limit alcohol use. If you choose to drink, limit yourself to one drink a day if you are a woman; two drinks a day if you're a man.
- Don't smoke.
1. https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/measure.htm [accessed on Mar 24, 2019]
2. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/high-blood-pressure [accessed on Mar 24, 2019]
3. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/node/80139 [accessed on Mar 24, 2019]
4. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/high-blood-pressure [accessed on Mar 24, 2019]
5. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/01/experts-lower-high-blood-pressure-numbers [accessed on Mar 24, 2019]
6. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2016/01/blood-pressure-matters [accessed on Mar 24, 2019]
7. https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/ten-points-to-remember/2017/11/09/11/41/2017-guideline-for-high-blood-pressure-in-adults [accessed on Mar 27, 2019]
8. https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2017/11/14/14/42/the-2017-high-blood-pressure-guideline-risk-reduction-through-better-management [accessed on Mar 27, 2019]

Additional Materials (50)

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What is Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is stated as two numbers that represent the highest and lowest pressure your heart attains during a single beat. The first or top number represents the pressure when your heart contracts: the systolic pressure. The second or bottom number represents the pressure when your heart rests between beats: the diastolic pressure.

Video by TheVisualMD

This browser does not support the video element.

What is Hypertension?

Go deep inside the human body to understand how your blood pressure works, as you travel into the vessels to see the damage that high blood pressure leaves in its wake. Listen to some of the world's top doctors, including renowned cardiologist Mehmet Oz, talk about why hypertension is "the silent killer" and how you can defend yourself against it.

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SPRINT Participant Has Blood Pressure Measured

In this image: Mr. Curtis Minor, 58 year old AA Male who is taking part in the SPRINT study at Downtown Health Plaza with Miriam Baird, RN. A major NIH-funded clinical trial has discovered nuanced evidence linking brain and vascular health.

Image by National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Man getting Blood Pressure Reading

Some risk factors for prostate cancer are controllable, some aren't. Knowing what the risk factors are can help you to lower your chances of getting prostate cancer and to make decisions about beginning screening.

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Doctor Taking Woman's Blood Pressure

This image shows a female patient having blood pressure read by a male doctor and by using a blood pressure cuff in a clinical setting. Hypertension is often referred to as the \"silent killer,\" because it can cause no symptoms and go undetected for years. And as hypertension goes undiagnosed, the delicate linings of your blood vessels are being damaged, particularly those of the heart, the kidneys, and the eyes. Hypertension is another word for high blood pressure; it has nothing to do with whether a person is considered tense or high-strung. Blood pressure is the measurement of the force the blood exerts as it pushes against the walls of your arteries. Your blood pressure is measured by a blood pressure cuff that is wrapped around your upper arm. Originally the readings referred to the height of a displaced column of mercury, but as in thermometers, the mercury yardstick is giving way to digital technologies. The \"top\" or first number-systolic pressure-represents the blood's pressure as the heart is contracted. The \"bottom\" or second number-diastolic pressure-represents the blood's pressure in the vessels when the heart is relaxed. Normal blood pressure is in the range of 120 (systolic) over 70 (diastolic).

Image by TheVisualMD

Blood Pressure

Taking a person's blood pressure

Image by BruceBlaus

Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is stated as two numbers that represent the highest and lowest pressure your heart attains during a single beat. The first or top number represents the pressure when your heart contracts: the systolic pressure. The second or bottom number represents the pressure when your heart rests between beats: the diastolic pressure.

Image by TheVisualMD

Blood Pressure Ranges

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is an important risk factor for strokes and heart attacks. A physician uses a sphygomomanometer to measure a patient's blood pressure by inflating a rubber cuff around his or her arm. The reading is shown on the scale represented in this image. Systolic pressure refers to the pressure in an artery when the heart beats, or contracts. This number is higher than the diastolic pressure, which is occuring when the heart is at rest, between beats. Average blood pressure for adults is 120/80, with the systolic pressure denoted over the diastolic pressure.

Image by TheVisualMD

Man with Visible Brain and Heart

The most obvious way in which your body manages blood flow and pressure is to change the heart rate. When the pulse rate goes up, in general, the pressure in the system goes up, which in turns drives the blood around the body more quickly. The blood vessels themselves also play an important role in pressure-management. Blood vessels are \"living pipes\". They're elastic and flexible and have special sensors called baroreceptors that monitor the ebb and flow of blood. Baroreceptors are actually nerve bundles that provide immediate feedback to the brain. With this information and depending on the needs of the moment, the arteries dilate and contract to help propel blood through the system. Blood can be diverted to muscles during exercise, for example, or away from the skin during cold weather to avoid heat loss. The arteries can contract to prevent blood loss due to injury or dilate to flood the face for that telling blush.

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This diagram represents the number of individuals affected with hypertension. The American Heart Association estimates that nearly one-third of Americans have hypertension.

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Medicating High Blood Pressure

If lifestyle changes don’t reduce blood pressure to an acceptable level, doctors will generally prescribe antihypertensive medications. There are a number of different types of antihypertensives available. The most commonly prescribed include: Thiazide diuretics. Often the first drug prescribed, diuretics dilate blood vessels and also decrease fluid volume in the body by helping the kidneys to eliminate salt and water. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. ACE inhibitors reduce hypertension by dilating arterioles (the smallest divisions of the arteries, linking the arteries and the capillaries). They do this by blocking the production of ACE, a naturally occurring substance that constricts blood vessels. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). Like ACE inhibitors, ARBs dilate arterioles, but they accomplish this by preventing ACE from having any effect on the heart and blood vessels. ARBs are often prescribed for people who experience adverse side effects from ACE inhibitors.

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Hypertension - High Blood Pressure, Animation

Alila Medical Media/YouTube

4:47

British Heart Foundation - Your guide to 24 hour blood pressure and Holter monitoring tests

British Heart Foundation/YouTube

3:15

What are Palpitations

smallcogbigmachine/YouTube

4:11

The Cardiac Cycle, Animation

Alila Medical Media/YouTube

13:18

Aldosterone raises blood pressure and lowers potassium | NCLEX-RN | Khan Academy

khanacademymedicine/YouTube

1:55

Understanding Blood Pressure

British Heart Foundation/YouTube

SPRINT Participant Has Blood Pressure Measured

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Man getting Blood Pressure Reading

TheVisualMD

Doctor Taking Woman's Blood Pressure

TheVisualMD

Blood Pressure

BruceBlaus

Blood Pressure

TheVisualMD

Blood Pressure Ranges

TheVisualMD

Man with Visible Brain and Heart

TheVisualMD

Arm with Blood Pressure Cuff

TheVisualMD

Keeping Blood Pressure Healthy

TheVisualMD

Medicating High Blood Pressure

TheVisualMD

Cholesterol Test

Cholesterol Test

Also called: Cholesterol Levels, Blood Cholesterol, Total Cholesterol

A cholesterol test is a blood test that measures the amount of each type of cholesterol and certain fats in your blood. Cholesterol is needed to carry out functions such as hormone and vitamin production. High cholesterol can put you at risk for heart disease.

Cholesterol Test

Also called: Cholesterol Levels, Blood Cholesterol, Total Cholesterol

A cholesterol test is a blood test that measures the amount of each type of cholesterol and certain fats in your blood. Cholesterol is needed to carry out functions such as hormone and vitamin production. High cholesterol can put you at risk for heart disease.

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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mg/dL
200
240
Your result is Desirable.
While cholesterol levels can vary widely among healthy individuals, total cholesterol levels below 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) are considered most desirable.
Related conditions
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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mg/dL
40
60
Your result is Desirable.
HDL levels between 40-50 mg/dL for men, and 50-60 mg/dl for women, are associated with average risk of heart disease. The higher HDL levels, the better.
Related conditions
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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
mg/dL
100
130
160
190
Your result is Optimal.
The optimal level of LDL has changed over time and depends on the number of risk factors you have for heart disease and stroke. Generally, you want your LDL to be low. It's possible to have extremely low levels of LDL, but this is rare.
Related conditions
A cholesterol test is a blood test that measures the amount of cholesterol and certain fats in your blood. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that's found in your blood and every cell of your body. You need some cholesterol to keep your cells and organs healthy.
Your liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs. But you can also get cholesterol from the foods you eat, especially meat, eggs, poultry, and dairy products. Foods that are high in dietary fat can also make your liver produce more cholesterol.
There are two main types of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol.
Too much LDL cholesterol in your blood increases your risk for coronary artery disease and other heart diseases. High LDL levels can cause the buildup of a sticky substance called plaque in your arteries. Over time, plaque can narrow your arteries or fully block them. When this happens, parts of your body don't get enough blood:
- If the blood flow to the heart is blocked, it can cause a heart attack.
- If the blood flow to the brain is blocked, it can cause a stroke.
- If the blood flow to the arms or legs is blocked, it can cause peripheral artery disease.
Other names for a cholesterol test: Lipid profile, Lipid panel
A cholesterol test gives you and your health care provider important information about your risk of developing heart disease. If your test shows you have high cholesterol, you can take steps to lower it. This may decrease your risk of developing heart problems in the future. A cholesterol test measures:
- LDL levels. Also known as the "bad" cholesterol, LDL is the main source of blockages in the arteries.
- HDL levels. Considered the "good" cholesterol, HDL helps get rid of "bad" LDL cholesterol.
- Total cholesterol. The combined amount of LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol in your blood.
- Triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood. Some studies show that high levels of triglycerides may increase the risk of heart disease, especially in women.
- VLDL levels. Very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) is another type of "bad" cholesterol. High VLDL levels have been linked to plaque buildup in the arteries. VLDL isn't usually included in routine cholesterol tests because it's difficult to measure. About half of VLDL is triglycerides, so your VLDL level can be estimated as a percentage of your triglyceride level.
Your provider may order a cholesterol test as part of a routine exam. You may also have a cholesterol test if you have a family history of heart disease or if your risk for heart problems is high because of:
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Smoking
- Excess weight or obesity
- Lack of physical activity
- A diet high in saturated fat
Your age may also be a factor, because your risk for heart disease increases as you get older.

Cholesterol is usually measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood. The information below will help you understand what your test results mean. In general, low LDL levels and high HDL cholesterol levels are good for heart health.

Total cholesterol

Total Cholesterol Level	Category
Less than 200mg/dL	Desirable
200-239 mg/dL	Borderline high
240mg/dL and above	High

LDL (bad) cholesterol

LDL (Bad) Cholesterol Level	LDL Cholesterol Category
Less than 100mg/dL	Optimal (best for your health)
100-129mg/dL	Near optimal
130-159 mg/dL	Borderline high
160-189 mg/dL	High
190 mg/dL and above	Very High

HDL (good) cholesterol

HDL (Good) Cholesterol Level	HDL Cholesterol Category
60 mg/dL and higher	Considered protective against heart disease
40-59 mg/dL	The higher, the better
Less than 40 mg/dL	A major risk factor for heart disease

The LDL listed on your results may say "calculated." This means that your LDL level is an estimate based on your total cholesterol, HDL, and triglycerides. Your LDL level may also be measured "directly" from your blood sample. Either way, you want your LDL number to be low.

A healthy cholesterol level for you may depend on your age, family history, lifestyle, and other risk factors for heart disease, such as high triglyceride levels. Your provider can explain what's right for you.

High cholesterol can lead to heart disease, the number one cause of death in the United States. You can't change some risk factors for high cholesterol, such as age and your genes. But there are actions you can take to lower your LDL levels and reduce your risk, including:
- Eating a healthy diet. Reducing or avoiding foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol can help reduce the cholesterol levels in your blood.
- Losing weight. Being overweight can increase your cholesterol and risk for heart disease.
- Staying active. Regular exercise may help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and raise your HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It may also help you lose weight.
Talk to your provider before making any major change in your diet or exercise routine.

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

Additional Materials (12)

Total Cholesterol: Heart

The heart beats about 100,000 times a day, pumping blood through a vast system of arteries, veins and microscopic capillaries. While many risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including cholesterol levels, are related to lifestyle, others are largely genetic.

Image by TheVisualMD

Total Cholesterol: Heart and Liver

The liver produces most of the body's cholesterol in order to package fats in the form of lipoproteins. HDL is referred to as \"good\" cholesterol because it picks up excess cholesterol in the bloodstream and carries it back to the liver for disposal.

Image by TheVisualMD

Total Cholesterol: Thrombus

Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot (thrombus) inside a blood vessel. If the clot is large or persistent enough, it can obstruct blood flow, which can starve tissue of oxygen-carrying blood. Most strokes are the result of thrombosis.

Image by TheVisualMD

This browser does not support the video element.

Lipids, Heart Health and Baselining Your Health

Your blood "knows" what you eat, meaning that the cardiovascular system is a sensitive barometer of a person's health, including diet. What individuals eat is reflected in their blood chemistry and the health of their heart, arteries and vessels. Fats (also known as lipids), for example, are vital to health and wellbeing throughout our lives and yet they are mostly associated with obesity and cardiovascular disease. The problem is that not all fats (or cholesterol) are equal. They share basic chemical similarities, but they also have important differences, which, in turn, result in different roles and effects in the body. Tests that offer information on diet and heart health include total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad" cholesterol), high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good" cholesterol), and triglycerides.

Video by TheVisualMD

This browser does not support the video element.

What Is Atherosclerosis?

Voyage inside your body to see where cholesterol is made and how plaques form inside your arteries. Witness the inner workings of your own personal cholesterol factory: your liver. Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Peter Fail, and other top experts talk about cholesterol-how it accumulates with other substances in your arteries as plaque, and what happens when plaques rupture. See exactly how tiny stents are inserted in blocked vessels, and view footage of actual bypass surgery. Discover how you can keep your arteries clear and flexible through lifestyle changes and medications.

Video by TheVisualMD

What cholesterol is and what cholesterol blood tests show

Video by Bupa Health UK/YouTube

Cholesterol Blood Test

Video by Baptist Health Physician Partners/YouTube

Cholesterol - what is it and how can you prevent high cholesterol?

Video by Healthchanneltv / cherishyourhealthtv/YouTube

Cholesterol Good and Bad

Video by The National Library of Medicine/YouTube

This browser does not support the video element.

What Is HDL and LDL Cholesterol?

This video explains the difference between HDL and LDL cholesterol. It also reveals what may occur when there are high levels of LDL in the body.LDL may stick to an artery's inner wall causing the build up of plaque, affecting blood flow. When an artery stiffens and constricts, aneurysm, heart attack, and stroke can occur.

Video by TheVisualMD

This browser does not support the video element.

Refined Carbohydrates and Atherosclerosis

Refined Carbohydrates and Atherosclerosis : In atherosclerosis, hard, fatty deposits called plaque build up inside your arteries. For decades it was thought that eating too many fatty foods, especially foods rich in cholesterol, was to blame for plaque accumulation.

Video by TheVisualMD

This browser does not support the video element.

Cardiovascular Inflammation

Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the U.S. The most common cause of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death is atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory response in the walls of arteries that leads to the hardening of arterial walls and the buildup of fatty deposits called plaques, or atheromas. Although the process of inflammation can be beneficial in other parts of the body, chronic inflammation within arterial walls is problematic as it seems to promote this underlying growth of plaque. The combination of arterial inflammation and the growth of plaque can lead to the rupture of the plaque, and result in a blood clot. Blood clots can lead to dangerous conditions such as heart attack or stroke.

Video by TheVisualMD

Total Cholesterol: Heart

TheVisualMD

Total Cholesterol: Heart and Liver

TheVisualMD

Total Cholesterol: Thrombus

TheVisualMD

2:46

Lipids, Heart Health and Baselining Your Health

TheVisualMD

3:10

What Is Atherosclerosis?

TheVisualMD

3:53

What cholesterol is and what cholesterol blood tests show

Bupa Health UK/YouTube

3:06

Cholesterol Blood Test

Baptist Health Physician Partners/YouTube

2:42

Cholesterol - what is it and how can you prevent high cholesterol?

Healthchanneltv / cherishyourhealthtv/YouTube

3:01

Cholesterol Good and Bad

The National Library of Medicine/YouTube

0:45

What Is HDL and LDL Cholesterol?

TheVisualMD

2:21

Refined Carbohydrates and Atherosclerosis

TheVisualMD

4:26

Cardiovascular Inflammation

TheVisualMD

LDL/HDL Ratio

LDL/HDL Ratio

Also called: LDL Cholesterol/HDL Cholesterol Ratio, LDL-C/HDL-C, High-density lipoprotein to Low-density lipoprotein ratio, LDL to HDL ratio, LDL-C:HDL-C

Under certain conditions, the risk of developing coronary heart disease (strokes, heart attack) cannot be properly assessed only by looking at a person’s lipids test results. In these cases, the LDL “bad cholesterol” to HDL “good cholesterol” ratio can be used to assess how high a person's cardiovascular risk is.

LDL/HDL Ratio

Also called: LDL Cholesterol/HDL Cholesterol Ratio, LDL-C/HDL-C, High-density lipoprotein to Low-density lipoprotein ratio, LDL to HDL ratio, LDL-C:HDL-C

Under certain conditions, the risk of developing coronary heart disease (strokes, heart attack) cannot be properly assessed only by looking at a person’s lipids test results. In these cases, the LDL “bad cholesterol” to HDL “good cholesterol” ratio can be used to assess how high a person's cardiovascular risk is.

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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
{ratio}
2.5
3
Your result is Optimal.
You have a low cardiovascular risk.
Related conditions
Total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, and triglycerides are usually part of a lipid profile test, which is used to monitor and screen for unhealthy levels of fats in the blood.
If you have borderline results or very imbalanced lipid levels (like for instance low LDL-C along with very low HDL-C), your doctor may want to know what your LDL/HDL ratio is, since it can provide more information about your overall CHD risk.
Every person with no risk factors for heart disease should get tested at least every five years as part of a routine check-up. When one or more risk factors for heart disease are associated, the test should be done more frequently.
Risk factors for cardiovascular disease include:
- Unbalanced diet
- Physical inactivity (sedentarism)
- Being overweight or obese
- More than 50 years of age in women
- More than 45 years of age in men
- Cigarette smoking
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Family history of early heart disease
- Previously diagnosed heart disease
A lower number means a lower cardiovascular risk, however the optimal levels vary depending on your age, gender and health history.
- Optimal: your cardiovascular risk is considered to be low.
- Borderline high: you have a normal LDL to HDL ratio and your cardiovascular risk is considered to be low. However, you may benefit from changing some lifestyle habits to prevent your LDL to HDL ratio from getting higher.
- High: your LDL to HDL ratio is considered to be in suboptimal levels, which puts you at risk for developing coronary heart disease (stroke, heart attack). Therefore, you need to change some lifestyle habits to lower it. Ask your healthcare provider what your test results mean in your specific case.
1. Lemieux I, Lamarche B, Couillard C, et al. Total Cholesterol/HDL Cholesterol Ratio vs LDL Cholesterol/HDL Cholesterol Ratio as Indices of Ischemic Heart Disease Risk in MenThe Quebec Cardiovascular Study. Arch Intern Med. 2001;161(22):2685–2692. doi:10.1001/archinte.161.22.2685 [accessed on Oct 03, 2018]
2. Lipoprotein ratios: Physiological significance and clinical usefulness in cardiovascular prevention [accessed on Oct 03, 2018]
3. 235010: Lipid Panel With LDL:HDL Ratio | LabCorp [accessed on Oct 03, 2018]
4. Total Cholesterol/HDL Cholesterol Ratio vs LDL Cholesterol/HDL Cholesterol Ratio as Indices of Ischemic Heart Disease Risk in Men: The Quebec Cardiovascular Study. | Cardiology | JAMA Internal Medicine | JAMA Network [accessed on Oct 03, 2018]
5. DEFINE_ME [accessed on Oct 03, 2018]

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

Stress Tests

Stress Tests

Also called: Cardiac Stress Test, Cardiac Diagnostic Test

Stress tests shows how well your heart works when it's pumping hard. They can find problems with blood flow to your heart muscle and other heart conditions. Reduced blood flow can be a sign of a serious heart disease.

Stress Tests

Also called: Cardiac Stress Test, Cardiac Diagnostic Test

Stress tests shows how well your heart works when it's pumping hard. They can find problems with blood flow to your heart muscle and other heart conditions. Reduced blood flow can be a sign of a serious heart disease.

Stress tests show how well your heart works when it's pumping hard. Some heart diseases are easier to find when your heart is working its hardest to pump blood through your body. So stress tests check your heart while you exercise on a treadmill or stationary bicycle. If you're not able to exercise, medicine can be used to make your heart work harder , as if you were exercising.
There are different types of stress tests. They all check:
- Blood flow in your heart
- Your blood pressure
- The rate and rhythm of your heartbeat
- The strength of the electrical signals that control your heartbeat
Some stress tests also take pictures of your heart at rest and when it's working hard. The pictures provide more detail about how your heart is working.
Stress tests are most often used to find the cause of symptoms that may be from a heart problem.
The tests can help diagnose certain heart conditions, including:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
- Angina
- Arrhythmia
- Heart failure
- Heart valve diseases
- Cardiomyopathy
Stress testing is also used:
- To find out how serious a known heart condition is, including the chance that you'll have a heart attack in the future.
- To help make treatment decisions for a heart condition.
You may need a stress test if you have symptoms that could be from a heart condition. Symptoms may include:
- Chest pain or discomfort without a known cause
- Shortness of breath
- Irregular or rapid heartbeat that may feel like a fluttering in your chest
- Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
You may also need a stress test to check your heart health if you:
- Have a heart condition with new or worsening symptoms.
- Are going to have surgery. Your health care provider may want to see if your heart is strong enough for the operation.
- Are being treated for heart disease. The test can show how much treatment is helping, including heart surgery.
- Have a high risk for heart disease. Your risk may be higher than normal if you have a family history of heart disease and/or certain conditions, such as diabetes, that are linked to heart disease.
- Plan to start an exercise program. If you have a heart condition or a high risk for a heart condition, a stress test can show what level of exercise is safe for you. (Always talk with your provider before starting any strenuous, new exercise.)
Stress tests may be done with or without imaging (pictures of your heart). The most common type of test is an exercise stress test. It doesn't include pictures. But the main steps of an exercise stress test are part of all stress tests:
- You'll have a blood pressure cuff on your arm to check your blood pressure.
- Electrodes will be placed on your body for an electrocardiogram test (also called EKG or ECG). Electrodes are small sensors that stick to your skin. Wires connect the electrodes to a computer or an EKG machine that records the electrical activity in your heart during the stress test.
- If you're unable to exercise: An intravenous (IV) line will be inserted into a vein in your arm. You'll get medicine through the IV. The medicine will make your heart work harder for 10 to 20 minutes while an EKG records your heart's electrical activity. Medicine can be used instead of exercise for all types of stress tests.
- If you can exercise: You'll walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bicycle. On a treadmill, the speed will slowly increase. The treadmill may also tilt so you feel like you're walking uphill. On a bicycle, the resistance will slowly increase, so it's harder to pedal.
  You'll exercise for about 10 to 15 minutes until you reach a target heart rate based on your age and fitness level. But you may stop the test sooner if:
  
  You develop chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, fatigue or other symptoms
  The EKG shows a problem with your heart
- After all types of stress tests, you'll be monitored for 10-15 minutes or until your heart rate returns to normal.
Stress tests with pictures include stress echocardiograms, nuclear stress tests, and cardiac (heart) MRI stress tests. These tests have extra steps:
A stress echocardiogram or "echo" takes moving pictures of your heart using doppler ultrasound. The pictures show the size and shape of your heart and blood flow through your heart. Pictures will be taken before and after your heart has worked its hardest. You'll lie on your left side on a table as a provider moves an ultrasound device on your chest. If you exercise on a bicycle, the second set of pictures may be taken while you're pedaling.
A nuclear stress test takes pictures of your heart using a small amount of a radioactive substance called a "tracer" and a special camera that scans your heart. A provider injects the tracer into your bloodstream through an IV line that's placed in a vein. Your heart and blood vessels absorb the tracer, which makes them show up more clearly in the pictures.
Pictures are taken while you lie on a table before and after your heart has worked its hardest. After the test, the tracer naturally leaves your body in your urine (pee). Drinking lots of water will help remove it faster.
A cardiac MRI stress test takes the most detailed pictures of your heart using radio waves, magnets, and a computer. It is a newer test that's mostly used for very serious heart problems. For an MRI stress test:
- A provider may inject dye into your bloodstream through an IV line placed in your arm. Some cardiac MRIs, but not all, use dye to help show very small details on the pictures.
- Pictures of your heart may be taken before and after your heart has worked hard. To take the pictures, you'll lie on a table that slides into a large, tunnel-like MRI machine. You'll hear loud sounds as the machine takes pictures. If you're exercising for the test, you may use a treadmill near the MRI, or you may exercise while lying in the MRI machine using special devices to move your arms or legs.
1. Stress Tests: MedlinePlus Medical Test [accessed on Mar 09, 2023]

Exercise Tolerance Test

Exercise Tolerance Test

Also called: Treadmill Stress Testing, Exercise Stress Test, Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test, CPX Test

Exercise tolerance testing is a form of cardiac stress testing that uses treadmill exercise with electrocardiogram (EKG) and blood pressure monitoring. The test is used to determine a patient’s functional capacity, assess the probability and extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) as well as assess risks, prognosis and effects of therapy.

Exercise Tolerance Test

Also called: Treadmill Stress Testing, Exercise Stress Test, Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test, CPX Test

Exercise tolerance testing is a form of cardiac stress testing that uses treadmill exercise with electrocardiogram (EKG) and blood pressure monitoring. The test is used to determine a patient’s functional capacity, assess the probability and extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) as well as assess risks, prognosis and effects of therapy.

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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
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30
Your result is Good.
VO2 max refers to the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can utilize during intense or maximal exercise. The greater your VO2 max, the more oxygen your body can consume and transport to your organs, muscles, and tissues, enabling you to have better endurance and performance for a given effort.
Related conditions
- Before the test begins, your nurse or doctor will explain it to you. Feel free to ask questions and voice concerns at this time. When you understand what will happen, you will be asked to sign a consent for the test to be performed.
- To monitor your heart during exercise, adhesive patches, called electrodes, will be put on your chest. Your chest will be cleansed with alcohol and shaved in some areas (if necessary) before these electrodes are placed.
- You will be asked about symptoms you have had with exercise in the past. Describe, as completely as you can, any chest discomfort, breathing problems, lightheadedness or dizziness, fluttering in the chest, weakness, fatigue, or anything else you think may be relevant. Also, mention anything you feel while you are being prepared for the test.
- A nurse or doctor will be with you throughout the test. Your heart rate and rhythm and your blood pressure will be checked during the test.
- Generally, the treadmill’s pace and incline will increase every 3 minutes. It is important that you describe anything you feel as you exercise. If you become short of breath, the nurse may ask you to rate it as “mild,” “moderate,” or “severe.” If you have chest discomfort, you will be asked to describe it as best you can and rate it on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 is very mild; 10 is very severe). There is no right or wrong number. This helps your doctor know how you are doing and gives us a better way to compare how you feel before and after the test.
- Keep walking until you are told to stop or until you cannot walk any longer. Let the nurse know when you need to slow down. Keep walk-ing as the treadmill slows. Do not jump off.
- While you rest, your heart will continue to be monitored.
- Inform the doctor or nurse about any temporary or permanent condition that could affect your ability to move, walk, bear weight, or keep your balance. If possible, discuss this when you are first scheduled for the test. It is also important that the doctor and/or nurse conducting the test have this information.
- Carefully follow your doctor’s instructions about medications. Some medications should be stopped for 48 hours before the test; others should not be stopped. If you do not have clear instructions about all your medications (including those for your heart, blood pressure, or other medications), contact your doctor or nurse a few days before the test.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine 8 hours before the test. Do not eat 2 hours before the test, and do not drink liquids 1 hour before the test. If your exercise test is combined with heart imaging (such as a thallium scan), follow the specific instructions for that test.
- Try to be as well rested as possible. You may need to reschedule the test if you feel unwell (for example, if you have a cold). If you do not feel you can give your maximum exercise effort, contact your nurse or doctor before the test.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing with a separate top and bottom. Women should wear bras. Wear comfortable, flat shoes that will not slip off while you are walking.
After the procedure:
- You can eat and drink as usual.
- Depending on how you feel, you may go about your normal routine or take it easy if the test tired you.
- Do not take a hot shower for at least an hour after the test. Your blood vessels expand with exercise and need time to return to normal. A hot shower may expand them more, causing low blood pressure and dizziness.
1. Procedures/Diagnostic Tests. Exercise tolerance test. National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. [accessed on Dec 11, 2018]
2. Vilcant V, Zeltser R. Treadmill Stress Testing. [Updated 2018 Oct 27]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2018 Jan-. [accessed on Dec 11, 2018]
3. Am Fam Physician. 2017 Sep 1;96(5):293-299. Exercise Stress Testing: Indications and Common Questions. Garner KK, Pomeroy W, Arnold JJ. [accessed on Dec 11, 2018]
4. Am Fam Physician. 1999 Jan 15;59(2):401-10. Ordering and understanding the exercise stress test. Darrow MD. [accessed on Dec 11, 2018]
5. Harvard Men's Health. Cardiac exercise stress testing: What it can and cannot tell you. [accessed on Dec 11, 2018]

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

Stress Echocardiography

Stress Echocardiography

Also called: Echocardiography Stress Test, Stress Echo

Stress echocardiography, or echo, is a test that uses sound waves to create moving pictures of your heart. A stress echo is done as part of a stress test. Some heart problems, such as coronary heart disease, are easier to diagnose when the heart is working hard and beating fast.

Stress Echocardiography

Also called: Echocardiography Stress Test, Stress Echo

Stress echocardiography, or echo, is a test that uses sound waves to create moving pictures of your heart. A stress echo is done as part of a stress test. Some heart problems, such as coronary heart disease, are easier to diagnose when the heart is working hard and beating fast.

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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
Your result is Normal.
A normal result means that blood flow through the coronary arteries is probably normal.
Related conditions
1. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007150.htm [accessed on Feb 23, 2022]
2. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/stress-tests/ [accessed on Feb 23, 2022]
3. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/echocardiography [accessed on Feb 23, 2022]

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

Prevention

Maintaining Cardiovascular Health

Image by TheVisualMD

How Can I Prevent Kidney Disease and Heart Disease?

You cannot always prevent kidney disease and heart disease. However, you can lower your chance of having kidney disease and heart disease by taking the following steps:

See your health care provider as directed.
Keep your blood pressure below 140/90. Follow your provider’s advice on how to stay at or below your target.
Control your blood glucose if you have diabetes.
Have your blood and urine checked as your provider instructs.
Try to keep your cholesterol numbers in a healthy range. Talk with your provider about your cholesterol goals.
Control your weight. If you are overweight, talk with your provider about how you can lose weight.
Be physically active 30 minutes a day most days of the week.
Take all medicines as prescribed.
Eat healthy

Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Additional Materials (1)

1:19

Changing Your Habits Can Protect Your Kidneys

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)/YouTube

Diet and Nutrition

Healthy Diet

Image by TheVisualMD

Eating, Diet, and Nutrition for Kidney Disease and Heart Disease

A healthy diet can help protect you from heart disease and kidney disease. Keep your heart and kidneys healthy by eating plenty of the following foods:

fruits and vegetables
whole-grain breads and cereals
low-fat milk and milk products such as yogurt and cheese
lean meats or meat substitutes such as tofu
fish
unsaturated fats such as olive oil or corn oil
low-sodium foods

People with advanced chronic kidney disease may need to adjust their diet to avoid high potassium. If you have advanced kidney disease, you may need to limit foods such as bananas, oranges, potatoes, and tomatoes and eat apples, berries, grapes, and peaches instead. Check with your provider to find out if you should cut back on your potassium. Do not alter your diet without checking because you might eat less of these healthy fruits and vegetables unnecessarily.

You need protein. However, protein breaks down into wastes that your kidneys need to remove. Most people eat more protein than they need. Large amounts of protein make your kidneys work harder. High-quality proteins such as meat, fish, and eggs make fewer wastes than other sources of protein. Beans, whole grains, soy products, nuts and nut butters, and dairy products can also be good sources of protein.

Phosphorus is a mineral that helps keep your bones healthy. Phosphorus also helps blood vessels and muscles work. Phosphorus is found naturally in foods rich in protein, such as meat, poultry, fish, nuts, beans, and dairy products. Phosphorus is also added to many processed foods. When you have kidney disease, phosphorus can build up in your blood, making your bones thin, weak, and more likely to break. Many people with kidney disease need to eat foods with less phosphorus than they are used to eating.

Sodium is a part of salt. Sodium is found in many canned, packaged, and “fast” foods. Sodium is also found in many seasonings and meats. You should limit the amount of sodium you get to 2,300 mg or less each day.

A dietitian is a health care provider who helps people with kidney disease choose the right foods and plan healthy meals. Talk with a dietitian about foods that might harm you and foods you should add to your diet.

Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Additional Materials (2)

1:14

What is a kidney friendly diet?

DaVita Kidney Care/YouTube

3:12

Sodium (salt) and your kidneys

kidneyfund/YouTube

Points to Remember

Women & Heart Health

Image by TheVisualMD

Points to Remember About Kidney Disease and Heart Disease

If you have kidney disease, you are more likely to get heart disease. Heart disease is the most common cause of death among people who have kidney disease.
Kidney disease means that the kidneys are damaged and can’t filter blood as they should. This damage can cause wastes to build up in the body.
Heart disease includes any problem that keeps your heart from pumping blood as well as it should. The problem might start in your blood vessels or your heart.
Tests for kidney disease include a blood test and a urine test.
You can get several routine tests for heart disease in your doctor’s office or at an outpatient center, including
- a blood pressure test
- a blood test for cholesterol
- an electrocardiogram
- a stress test
If you have kidney disease or heart disease, you will want to control your blood glucose if you have diabetes, and your blood pressure if you have high blood pressure.
You can lower your chance of having kidney disease and heart disease by taking the following steps:
- See your health care provider as directed.
- Keep your blood pressure below 140/90. Follow your provider’s advice on how to stay at or below your target.
- Control your blood glucose if you have diabetes.
- Have your blood and urine checked as recommended.
- Try to keep your cholesterol numbers in a healthy range.
- Control your weight. If you are overweight, talk with your provider about how you can lose weight.
- Be physically active 30 minutes a day most days of the week.
- Take all medicines as prescribed.
- Eat healthy.
You should limit the amount of sodium you get to 2,300 mg or less each day. Sodium is a part of salt.

Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Additional Materials (1)

2:20

Heart Your Kidneys

National Kidney Foundation/YouTube

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