A Basic Metabolic Panel (or BMP for short) is one of the most commonly performed medical tests.
It is a combination serum test for Sodium ion, Potassium ion, Chloride ion, Bicarbonate ion, Blood Urea Nitrogen, Creatinine, and Glucose.
The results are expressed (in order) by the diagram
Na |Cl | BUN /
- - - - - - - Glucose
K |CO2 | Cr \
Most physicians order it when they want more than one of the above values, and most laboratories offer it at a signficant discount over separate tests. Cynics say that this is because if more values are tested, more will be abnormal, and an
abnormal result may require further testing.