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Kidney Function Test



 Submitted by Nic on September 12, 2011
Waste products are produced in the human body during the various functions that take place. Wastes are either found in the digestive system or in the blood. When it comes to wastes in the blood, the kidneys come into the picture. The kidneys are a pair of organs that are responsible for removing some of the wastes from the blood. These wastes are filtered out of the body and passed into the urinary bladder. Here, the wastes collect in the form of urine before expulsion takes place through urination. The kidneys thus play an important role in avoiding toxic conditions in the human body. Although the kidneys are a pair of organs, an individual may be able to function normally with only one functioning kidney. Failure of both kidneys will result in a situation where the individual has to receive treatment in the form of dialysis regularly. Dialysis replicates the functioning of the kidneys by filtering out wastes from the blood.

A kidney function test is used to determine the efficiency of kidney function. There are many different ways in which a kidney function test can be performed. In fact, there are many different kidney function tests that can be performed to evaluate the functioning of these vital organs. The creatinine clearance test is one type of kidney function test that uses a urine sample for analysis. This test also uses a blood sample. The amount of creatinine in the blood and the amount being expelled in the urine are compared. Urine samples may be collected over a period of hours. The kidney function test for creatinine levels being expelled from the body will determine if the kidneys are functioning normally or not.

Another test that operates in a similar way is the urea clearance test. This test is used to determine how much urea is being cleaned out of the body.

A doctor may perform a kidney function test by testing samples of urine throughout the day to determine the concentration of urine based on fluid intake. Normally, more fluid intake means lighter urine and vice-versa. Therefore, this kidney function test can be used to determine the effectiveness of kidney function. Finally, there is the urine protein test which determines the amount of protein leaking into the urine. If the kidney function test normal range is not mentioned and the value is high, then the patient is likely to be suffering from kidney disease.

The kidney function test results are used to determine the amount of damage that has been suffered by the kidneys if any.
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