A Case-Oriented Approach to Profiling the Urinary Tract I and II

A CASE-ORIENTED APPROACH TO PROFILING THE URINARY TRACT I & II
Introduction

The kidney, like the liver, performs a variety of functions of major importance to the maintenance of normal homeostasis. It is involved in the excretion of wastes and the regulation of acid-base balance, electrolyte balance, and state of hydration.
The performance of these functions depends upon both normal glomerular filtration and normal renal tubular integrity. The primary renal panel assesses both. It is important to note that urinalysis, although not a part of our large chemistry profile, is an essential part of the primary renal panel. The secondary renal panel is primarily designed to evaluate changes that may occur secondary to renal disease.

Primary Renal Panel
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)
Urea is a nitrogenous waste that is excreted by the kidney via glomerular filtration. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level is primarily used as an indicator of glomerular filtration rate. Azotemia (elevations in BUN) may be prerenal due to reduced renal perfusion, renal due to primary kidney disease, or postrenal due to ureter, bladder or urethral obstruction or rupture. […]