Urea
What is urea?
It is a waste product which is formed when the body breaks down protein, with ammonia and nitrogen being converted into urea.
What is creatinine?
It is a waste product that is found in your blood from the breakdown of protein and muscle tissue.
What is calcium?
It is a mineral/electrolyte which helps to:
- regulate heart rhythm, nerve and muscles
- maintain amount of fluid and acid-base in the body
- mostly stored in bone and teeth
What is pO4?
It tests the level of phosphate in your blood.
What is HbA1c?
A blood test to show the average blood glucose levels over the past 2-3 months. The higher the level, the more glycated haemoglobin is formed.
What can urea evaluate?
Kidney function
Why test creatinine?
As a measure of kidney function.
What is the term for too much calcium?
Hypercalcaemia
Why test pO4?
- bone health
- kidney function
- gastrointestinal disorders
- parathyroid gland disorders
- calcium balance
Why is this tested for Talia Bennet?
- can be used to test for diabetes
- Talia has a family history of diabetes (mum)
Name 1 condition associated with low urea?
- not common
- potential pregnancy in final weeks
- liver failure
- malnutrition
Name 1 condition associated with low creatinine.
- not common
- decreased muscle mass
- low protein diet
What is the term for too little calcium?
Hypocalcaemia
What is the term for elevated pO4 and 1 condition it can indicate?
- hyperphosphatasemia
conditions:
- kidney failure
- hypoparathyroidism
- hypocalcaemia
What does high HbA1c indicate?
- indication of diabetes
What can high urea levels indicate?
- reduced kidney function
- high protein diet
- dehydration
What can high creatinine levels indicate?
- reduced kidney dysfunction
- glomerulonephritis = swelling of the kidney's blood vessels
- pyelonephritis = pus-forming infection of the kidneys
- acute kidney injury
What can a change in calcium indicate?
- High = CKD, hypoparathyroidism
- Low = hyperparathyroidism,
What is the term for low pO4 and 1 condition it can indicate?
- hypophosphatasemia
conditions:
- hypercalcaemia
- overuse of diuretics
What could cause falsely low results?
- haemolytic anaemia
- excess haemolysis
- heavy bleeding
- iron deficiency anaemia