Urea blood measures the amount of urea in the blood. This test helps in assessing the functioning of the kidneys and to diagnose any kidney disease.
What is urea?
Urea is a waste product formed in the liver as a result of protein breakdown. This urea is then released into the blood by the liver. Normally, it is then removed from the blood by the kidneys. Kidneys filter urea and it gets removed from the body through urination.
Why this test is performed?
This test is one among many tests used to evaluate your kidney function. Your doctor may ask to perform this test if you experience any signs and symptoms of kidney damage such as fatigue, bloody, coffee-colored or foamy urine, frequent urination, swelling on face, arms, stomach, legs, feet or around eyes, nausea or vomiting, weakness, muscle cramps etc. You may be advised to undergo this test if you have diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure or a family history of kidney problems. Your doctor may also ask to perform this test to check the effectiveness of dialysis treatment in case if you are receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. This test may also be performed with blood tests to rule out other medical conditions, such as liver damage, urinary tract obstruction, congestive heart failure or gastrointestinal bleeding. But these conditions are not diagnosed by this test.
If you have a family history of kidney problems, your doctor may ask you to perform this test on a 6-monthly basis or a yearly basis. Patients with kidney disorders should perform this test on a regular basis, as instructed by the doctor.
Inform your doctor if you are on any medications, have any allergies or underlying medical conditions before your Urea Test. Your doctor will give specific instructions depending on your condition on how to prepare for Urea Test.
No specific preparation is required for this test.
If the test result falls in the normal reference range generally no medical intervention is necessary.
If the blood urea levels are low it may indicate malnutrition, too little protein in the diet, kidney disease, etc.
If the blood urea levels are high it may indicate more protein in the diet or excessive breakdown of protein in the body
Based on the test results, your doctor may advise appropriate medical treatments, lifestyle modifications, or further diagnostic tests.
Gender | Age groups | Value |
MALE | All age groups | 10 - 50 mg/dl |
FEMALE | All age groups | 10 - 50 mg/dl |