- Home
- Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)
To evaluate the health of your kidneys; to help diagnose kidney disease; to monitor the effectiveness of dialysis and other treatments related to kidney disease or damage
As part of a routine comprehensive or basic metabolic panel (CMP or BMP) during a health exam; when you have signs and symptoms that may be due to kidney disease or you have a condition that may cause or be worsened by kidney dysfunction; at regular intervals when you are being treated for kidney disease or damage
A blood sample drawn from a vein
None
Urea is a waste product formed in the liver when protein is metabolized into its component parts (amino acids). This process produces ammonia, which is then converted into the less toxic waste product urea. This test measures the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level in the blood. Sometimes, a BUN to creatinine ratio is calculated to help determine the cause of elevated levels.
Nitrogen is a component of both ammonia and urea. Urea and urea nitrogen are referred to somewhat interchangeably because urea contains nitrogen and because urea/urea nitrogen is the "transport method" used by the body to rid itself of excess nitrogen. Urea is formed in and released by the liver into the blood and is carried to the kidneys, where it is filtered out of the blood and released into the urine. Since this is an ongoing process, there is usually a small but stable amount of urea nitrogen in the blood. However, when the kidneys cannot filter wastes out of the blood due to disease or damage, then the level of urea in the blood will rise.
The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs that are located at the bottom of the ribcage in the right and left sides of the back. Within them are about a million tiny blood filtering units called nephrons. In each nephron, blood is continually filtered through a microscopic cluster of looping blood vessels, called glomerulus. The glomerulus allows the passage of water and small molecules but retains blood cells and larger molecules. Attached to each glomerulus is a tiny tube (tubule) that collects the fluid and molecules that pass through the glomerulus and then reabsorbs what still can be used by the body. The remaining waste forms urine.
Most diseases or conditions that affect the kidneys or liver have the potential to affect the amount of urea present in the blood. If increased amounts of urea are produced by the liver or if the kidneys are not working properly and have difficulty filtering wastes out of the blood, then urea levels will rise in the blood. If significant liver damage or disease inhibits the production of urea, then BUN levels may fall.
The BUN test is primarily used, along with the creatinine test, to evaluate kidney function in a wide range of circumstances, to help diagnose kidney disease, and to monitor people with kidney dysfunction or failure. It also may be used to evaluate your general health status when ordered as part of a renal panel, basic metabolic panel or comprehensive metabolic panel.
If your creatinine and BUN tests are found to be abnormal or if you have an underlying disease that is known to affect the kidneys, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, then creatinine and BUN tests may be used to monitor for kidney dysfunction and the effectiveness of treatment.
Blood creatinine and BUN tests may also be ordered to evaluate kidney function prior to some procedures, such as a CT (computed tomography) scan, that may require the use of drugs that can damage the kidneys if not cleared rapidly.
BUN is part of the BMP and CMP, groups of tests that are often ordered:
BUN is often ordered with creatinine or renal panel when it is suspected that you have a kidney problem with signs and symptoms such as:
BUN also may be ordered:
Results of BUN tests are interpreted along with creatinine results and with other tests results that may have been performed at the same time, such as a renal panel.
BUN and creatinine levels that are within the ranges established by the laboratory performing the test suggest that your kidneys are functioning as they should. Increased BUN and creatinine levels may mean that your kidneys are not working as they should. Your healthcare practitioner will consider other factors, such as your medical history and physical exam, to determine what condition, if any, may be affecting your kidneys.
BUN Reference Range
The reference ranges1 provided here represent a theoretical guideline that should not be used to interpret your test results. Some variation is likely between these numbers and the reference range reported by the lab that ran your test. Please consult your healthcare provider.
AGE | CONVENTIONAL UNITS2 | SI UNITS3 |
---|---|---|
0-18 years | Not available due to wide variability. See child's lab report for reference range. | |
Adult | 6-20 mg/dL | 2.1-7.1 mmol/L |
>60 years | 8-23 mg/dL | 2.9-8.2 mmol/L |
1 from Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics. Burtis CA, Ashwood ER, Bruns DE, eds. 5th edition, St. Louis: Elsevier Saunders; 2011.
2 Conventional Units are typically used for reporting results in U.S. labs
3 SI Units are used to report lab results outside of the U.S.
Some examples of conditions that can increase BUN levels include:
Low BUN levels are not common and are not usually a cause for concern. Decreased BUN may be seen in severe liver disease, malnutrition, and sometimes when you are overhydrated (too much fluid volume), but the BUN test is not usually used to diagnose or monitor these conditions.
If one kidney is fully functional, the BUN level may be normal even when the other kidney is not functioning properly.
Your BUN result is interpreted by your healthcare provider within the context of other tests that you have had done as well as other factors, such as your medical history. A single result that is slightly high or low may or may not have medical significance. This is why a healthcare practitioner may repeat a test on you and why they may look at results from prior times when you had the same test performed.
However, a result outside the range may indicate a problem and warrant further investigation. Your healthcare provider will evaluate your test results in the context of other relevant factors to determine whether a result that falls outside of the reference range means something significant for you.
For more, read the article Reference Ranges and What They Mean.
Occasionally, a healthcare practitioner will look at the ratio between a person's BUN and blood creatinine to help determine what is causing these concentrations to be higher than normal. The ratio of BUN to creatinine is usually between 10:1 and 20:1. An increased ratio may be due to a condition that causes a decrease in the flow of blood to the kidneys, such as congestive heart failure or dehydration. It may also be seen with increased protein, from gastrointestinal bleeding, or increased protein in the diet. The ratio may be decreased with liver disease (due to decrease in the formation of urea) and malnutrition.
BUN and creatinine are the primary tests used to check how well the kidneys are able to filter waste products from your blood. Your healthcare provider may also order other tests to evaluate kidney function. Examples include:
BUN levels increase with age. BUN levels in very young babies are about 2/3 of the levels found in healthy young adults, while levels in adults over 60 years of age are slightly higher than younger adults.
BUN levels can increase with the amount of protein in the diet. High-protein diets may cause abnormally high BUN levels while very low-protein diets can cause an abnormally low BUN.
A wide variety of drugs can cause an increase in BUN. Drugs that can decrease BUN include chloramphenicol and streptomycin. Inform your healthcare provider of any medications you are taking.
Both decreased and increased BUN concentrations may be seen during a normal pregnancy.
Sources Used in Current Review
2019 review performed by Richa Athalye and the Lab Tests Online Editorial Review Board.
(April 15, 2019) MedlinePlus. Blood Urea Nitrogen. Available online at https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/bun-blood-urea-nitrogen/. Accessed August 2019.
(March 6, 2014) Medscape Reference. Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN). Available online at https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2073979-overview. Accessed August 2019.
Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum. Mayo Medical Laboratories. Available online at http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-catalog/Clinical+and+Interpretive/81793. Accessed August 2019.
Sources Used in Previous Reviews
Thomas, Clayton L., Editor (1997). Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary. F.A. Davis Company, Philadelphia, PA [18th Edition].
Pagana, Kathleen D. & Pagana, Timothy J. (2001). Mosby's Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference 5th Edition: Mosby, Inc., Saint Louis, MO.
(2002 March). Medical Tests of Kidney Function. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, NIH Publication No. 02–4623 [On-line information]. Available online at http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/kidneytests/index.htm.
Esson, M. and Schrier, R. (2002). Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Tubular Necrosis. Ann Intern Med 2002;137:744-752 [On-line journal]. PDF available for download at http://www.annals.org/cgi/reprint/137/9/744.pdf.
Agha, Irfan (2003 August 7, Updated). BUN. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003474.htm.
Agrawal, M. and Swartz, R. (2000 April 1). Acute Renal Failure. American Family Physician [On-line journal]. Available online at http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000401/2077.html.
Physician’s Reference Laboratory: Kidney Function Panel. Available online at http://www.prlnet.com/Kidney.htm.
August 2007) National Kidney and Urological Disease Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC). Your Kidneys and How They Work. Available online at http://www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/yourkidneys/index.htm#rate. Accessed November 2008.
(Update May 15, 2007) MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. BUN. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003474.htm. Accessed November 2008.
American Urological Association. UrologyHealth.org, Kidney (renal) Failure. Available online at http://www.urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=02&topic=120#top. Accessed November 2008.
Clarke, W. and Dufour, D. R., Editors (2006). Contemporary Practice in Clinical Chemistry, AACC Press, Washington, DC. Pp. 312-313.
Pagana K, Pagana T. Mosby's Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests. 3rd Edition, St. Louis: Mosby Elsevier; 2006 Pp. 525-527.
Lerma, E. (Updated 2012 October 30). Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN). Medscape Reference [On-line information]. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2073979-overview. Accessed November 2012.
Dugdale, D. (2011 May 30). BUN - blood test. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003474.htm. Accessed November 2012.
(© 1995-2012). Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), Serum. Mayo Clinic Mayo Medical Laboratories [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-catalog/Overview/81793. Accessed November 2012.
(Updated 2012 March 23). The Kidneys and How They Work. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) [On-line information]. Available online at http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/yourkidneys/. Accessed November 2012.
McMillan, J. (Modified 2010 January). Chronic Kidney Disease. Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals [On-line information]. Available online through http://www.merckmanuals.com. Accessed November 2012.
Arora, P. (Updated 2012 March 28). Chronic Kidney Disease. Medscape Reference [On-line information]. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/238798-overview. Accessed November 2012.
Pagana, K. D. & Pagana, T. J. (© 2011). Mosby's Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference 10th Edition: Mosby, Inc., Saint Louis, MO. Pp 993-995.
Lerma, E. (2014 March 6, Updated). Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN). Medscape Drugs & Diseases. [On-line information]. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2073979-overview. Accessed 07/18/15.
Salazar, J. (2014). Overview of Urea and Creatinine. Medscape Multispecialty from Lab Med. 2014;45(1):e19-e20. [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/823420. Accessed 07/18/15.
Dugdale, D. (2013 April 29). BUN - blood test. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003474.htm. Accessed 07/18/15.
Delgado, J. and Straseski, J. (2015 May). Renal Function Markers - Kidney Disease. ARUP Consult [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.arupconsult.com/Topics/RenalFunctionMarkers.html. Accessed 07/18/15.
(© 1995–2015). Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), Serum. Mayo Clinic Mayo Medical Laboratories [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-catalog/Clinical+and+Interpretive/81793. Accessed 07/18/15.
Pagana, K. D., Pagana, T. J., and Pagana, T. N. (© 2015). Mosby's Diagnostic & Laboratory Test Reference 12th Edition: Mosby, Inc., Saint Louis, MO. Pp 946-948.