Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) is a medical term that refers to a laboratory test used to measure the amount of urea nitrogen present in the blood. Urea is a waste product resulting from the breakdown of proteins in the body. It is produced by the liver and excreted in urine via the kidneys. The BUN test is commonly performed to evaluate kidney function and to detect potential kidney dysfunction or disease.
The BUN level represents the amount of nitrogen present in the blood as urea, and it is expressed in terms of milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Normally, BUN levels range between 7 to 20 mg/dL, but values outside this range may indicate underlying health issues.
An elevated BUN level may be indicative of conditions such as dehydration, congestive heart failure, urinary tract obstruction, or certain kidney diseases. Conversely, a low BUN level may suggest malnutrition, liver disease, or overhydration.
The BUN test is frequently used in conjunction with a creatinine test, another marker of kidney function, to assess the efficiency of the kidneys in filtering and eliminating waste products from the body. Abnormal BUN levels may warrant further medical investigations, such as additional kidney function tests, to determine the specific cause and guide appropriate treatment strategies.
In summary, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) is a laboratory test that measures the amount of urea nitrogen in the blood, offering insight into kidney function and potential underlying health conditions.
