Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP8) Blood Test

The basic metabolic panel is a series of 8 blood tests that provides information about your body's metabolism  The BMP blood test evaluates kidney function, blood acid/base balance, and glucose or blood sugar levels.

The BMP blood test includes the following tests:

·         Glucose – Also known as blood sugar must remain a relatively constant level in the blood.

 Electrolytes and fluids

 ·        Sodium - vital to normal body processes, including nerve and muscle function

·         Potassium - vital to cell metabolism and muscle function

·         CO₂ (carbon dioxide, bicarbonate) - helps to maintain the body's ph or acid-base balance 

·         Chloride - helps to regulate the amount of fluid in the body and maintain the acid-base balance

·         Calcium -  essential for the proper functioning of muscles, nerves, and the heart

Kidney Tests

·         Creatinine – waste product produced in the muscles; it is filtered out of the blood by the kidneys so blood levels are a good indication of how well the kidneys are working.

·         BUN (blood urea nitrogen) - waste product filtered out of the blood by the kidneys; conditions that affect the kidney have the potential to affect the amount of urea in the blood.

·         Bun/Creatinine Ratio Calculated by dividing the BUN by the Creatinine.