An aspect of one's blood serum.


The non-protein nitrogenous constituents consist of the following: ammonia as carbonate or carbamate (0.2 to 0.6%), urea (0.02 to 0.05%), creatine, creatinine, uric acid, xanthine, hypoxanthine and occasionally hippuric acid. Three ferments are also described as being present: (1) a glycolytic ferment exerting an action upon dextrose; (2) a lipase or fat-splitting ferment; and (3) a diastase capable of converting starch into sugar. -- Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th Edition

A blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test is a measure of the amount of urea nitrogen in your blood. (Understood, not helpful.) Urea is composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. When the body metabolizes proteins, it produces ammonia, which is toxic. The liver converts ammonia into urea, which is less toxic and can be safely transported in the blood to the kidneys for excretion in urine. The BUN test is often used to evaluate kidney function and diagnose potential kidney-related issues. Elevated BUN levels can indicate kidney dysfunction, dehydration, or other medical conditions, while low levels may suggest liver disease or malnutrition.

As part of a comprehensive metabolic panel, its results are compared to both creatinine, creatinine clearance, and glomerular filtration rate for more accurate diagnoses of (potential) kidney issues.

My personal BUN level is low, as is my serum albumin level. In contrast, my aspartate aminotransferase level is high as one might expect after a heart attack. These findings are also, most probably, related to the spot on my liver, aka metastatic malignant neoplasm to intrahepatic bile ducts per my visit diagnosis on December 24, 2024. My kidneys are doing great, though, even with a redundancy mutation in one, and a history of a kidney stone in the other!

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