If the result is below the normal ratio, then it could indicate malnutrition or liver-related diseases. It is linked with kidney-related diseases or decreased flow of blood to the kidneys secondary to dehydration or congestive heart failure. If the result is higher than the numbers mentioned, it indicates that there is a high level of BUN in the blood. The ideal ratio is between 10:1 and 20:1. To get the BUN creatinine ratio, the BUN count is divided by the creatinine count. What is a normal BUN and creatinine level ratio? The entire process would take around 5 to 10 minutes depending on the visibility of your vein. A blood is drawn from your upper arm using a sterile needle.

The procedure is performed by a lab technician. Picture Source: i. How is the test taken? Image 4: BUN and creatinine are two parameters used to detect the condition of the kidneys. Photo 3: A blood sample is drawn from the patient’s arm and sent immediately to the lab for testing and evaluation. The result can also be affected by pregnancy. That way, you will be able to come up with an accurate BUN creatinine ratio test result. If you are going to undertake a BUN creatinine ratio test, make sure that you consume a normal amount of protein and that you are properly hydrated. On the other hand, a low protein intake may lead to an abnormally low level of BUN. A high protein intake may cause an abnormally high level of BUN. Your protein intake can significantly affect the test result. What to keep in mind before undergoing a BUN creatinine ratio test? What can cause a low creatinine and normal BUN?

Intake of corticosteroids or tetracyclines (8, 9).

What can cause a high BUN and normal creatinine?

Too much intake of ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

What can cause an increase creatinine with normal BUN level? What can cause a low BUN creatinine ratio? What can cause a high bun creatinine ratio?

It is useful in diagnosing severe dehydration (causes the BUN level to rise) (2, 3, 4, 5).

It helps in diagnosing gastrointestinal bleeding.

Monitor the effectiveness of the treatments related to kidney problems.

Diagnose kidney-related diseases such as acute and/or chronic renal disease and urinary tract blockages.

Other reasons for taking BUN to creatinine ratio test include the following: It is used by the doctor in formulating an accurate diagnosis of health problems that have something to do with the kidneys. This is to find out the functions and overall condition of the liver and kidneys. The BUN and creatinine test results are combined by the doctor to determine the BUN to creatinine ratio. Photo Source: What is a BUN creatinine ratio and its significance? Picture 2: BUN and creatinine ratio is measured using the above formula. If the level of creatinine is high, then it indicates that there is something wrong with your kidneys. Ideally, the level of creatinine remains constant throughout the day. The muscle mass of a person defines the rate of creatinine formation. It is transported through the bloodstream and filtered in the kidneys and excreted through the urine. (1, 2, 3) Creatinine TestĪ creatinine is a molecule produced by muscle metabolism. There could be something wrong with your kidneys that need to be addressed properly and timely. If the urea in the blood is abnormally high, it is an indicator that the kidneys are not functioning well.

The liver continuously produces urea and so it is just normal to have a small amount of urea in the blood. The function of the kidneys is to filter the urea so that waste products will be removed from the body through urination. The BUN test measures the level of nitrogen in the blood.ĭoctors order this test to assess the functions of the kidneys and liver. Understanding the difference between BUN and creatinine test and their relationship BUN TestīUN stands for Blood Urea Nitrogen. Image 1: The standard unit of measurements for BUN and creatinine. A BUN creatinine ratio is a blood work done to detect acute or chronic renal disease/failure.īoth BUN and creatinine are filtered in the kidneys and excreted through urination and they are a perfect parameter for identifying the overall functions of the kidneys.

Normal range for buncreatinine