Understanding the Basic Metabolic Panel

Understanding the Basic Metabolic Panel

Paul Cousineau NP

Youville Hospital and Rehab Center

The Basic Metabolic PatternThe Basic Metabolic Pattern

Blood Urea Nitrogen Creatinine Sodium Potassium Chloride CO2 Glucose Calcium

The Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP) is a group of 8 specific tests that have been approved, named, and assigned a CPT code (a Current Procedural Terminology number) as a panel by Medicare.

Collecting the Basic Metabolic PanelCollecting the Basic Metabolic Panel

Wrap a tourniquet around the upper arm to stop the flow of blood.

Clean the needle site with alcohol. Put the needle into the vein. Attach a gold top tube with serum separator to the

needle to fill it with blood. Remove the band from the arm when enough blood

is collected. Place a gauze pad or cotton ball over the needle site

as the needle is removed. Apply pressure on the site and then apply a small

bandage. OR call the LAB and they’ll gladly assist.

Blood Urea NitrogenBlood Urea Nitrogen The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) a measure of the amount of nitrogen

in the blood in the form of urea, and a measurement of renal function. Urea is secreted by the liver, and removed from the blood by the

kidneys. A greatly elevated BUN (>60 mg/dL) generally indicates a moderate-to-

severe degree of renal failure. An elevated BUN in the setting of a relatively normal creatinine

may reflect a physiological response to a relative decrease of blood flow to the kidney, as in heart failure or dehydration, without indicating any true injury to the kidney.

Increased production of urea is seen in cases of moderate or heavy bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract (e.g. from ulcers).

Anuria– Obstruction (vast majority of patients with anuria).

– Bilateral renal cortical necrosis.

– Fulminant glomerulonephritis (usually some type of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis).

– Acute bilateral renal artery or vein occlusion (rare).

CreatinineCreatinine Creatine is a measure of kidney function. Creatinine is produced naturally by the body

(creatinine is a metabolite of creatine, which is found in muscle). It is freely filtered by the renal glomerulus and excreted in the urine.

A rise in blood creatinine levels is observed only with marked damage to functioning nephrons, and is considered a rather poor indication of actual renal function.

Creatinine clearance, a calculated value based on age, creatinine, and weight, is more indicative of actual renal function.

SodiumSodium Normal Sodium: 135 -146 Extra cellular electrolyte, functions in tandem with

Potassium. Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance of the body. Sodium is important in how nerves and muscles work. Hyponatremia - decreased sodium or high fluid

– GI: anorexia, diarrhea, or abdominal cramps.

– Neuromuscular: headache, confusion depression, stupor, coma, and convulsions

Hypernatremia - increased sodium or low fluids– GI: thirst.

– Neuromuscular: agitation or convulsions.

– Cor: tachycardia or increased BP.

– Skin: dry flushed skin, or dry, sticky mucous membranes.

– Renal: oliguria or anuria.

PotassiumPotassium Normal Potassium: 3.5 - 5.0 Intracellular electrolyte, functions in tandem with Sodium. Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance. Potassium is important in how nerves and muscles work. Hypokalemia - low Potassium

– Gastrointestinal: N/V, anorexia, and paralytic ileus.

– Neuromuscular: flacidity and weakness, respiratory arrest, CNS depression, diminished deep tendon reflex.

– Cor: dysrhythmias, hypotension, ventricular tachycardia, cardiac arrest and/or ECG changes.

Hyperkalemia - high Potassium– Gastrointestinal: N/V/D– Neuromuscular: muscle twitching leading to weakness and

paralysis. – Cor: conduction defects, bradycardia, ECG changes.

ChlorideChloride Chloride is a chemical the human body needs for

metabolism. Chloride helps maintain the body's acid-base

balance. The amount of chloride in the blood is carefully controlled by the kidneys.

Chloride ions have important physiological roles. – In the central nervous system, the inhibitory action

of glycine and some of the action of GABA relies on the entry of Cl - into specific neurons.

– Chloride-bicarbonate exchanger biological transport protein relies on the chloride ion to increase the blood's capacity of carbon dioxide, in the form of the bicarbonate ion.

The normal blood reference range of chloride for adults in most labs is 95 to 105 mEq per liter.

CO2 / BicarbonateCO2 / Bicarbonate

Indicator of Acid / Base balance. Bicarbonate is an alkaline, and a vital

component of the pH buffering system. With carbonic acid as the central intermediate

species, bicarbonate, in conjunction with water, hydrogen ions, and carbon dioxide forms this buffering system which is maintained at the equilibrium required to provide prompt resistance to drastic pH changes in both the acidic and alkalotic directions

Indicator of respiratory / metabolic abnormalities.

Anion GapAnion Gap

The serum anion gap, calculated from the electrolytes measured in the chemical laboratory.

Used in the detection and analysis of acid-base disorders, assessment of quality control in the

chemical laboratory, and detection of such disorders as multiple myeloma, and lithium intoxication.

Can be helpful in determining keto- and lactic acidosis ( high anion gap).

Low anion gap is rare, often seen with low albumin.

GlucoseGlucose Glucose is a direct measurement of the blood glucose level. It is

frequently used in the evaluation of diabetic patients. Hyperglycemia (High blood glucose)

– Diabetes mellitus – Cushing's disease– Acute stress response, including severe stress, infection, burns, and

surgery. – Pancreatitis. – Corticosteroid therapy.

Hypoglycemia (Low blood glucose)– Insulin overdose (most common cause) – Insulinoma (pancreatic islet cell carcinoma-too much insulin production) – Addison's disease (Cortisol deficiency, thus hypoglycemia) – Starvation (decreased carbohydrate ingestion causes hypoglycemia) – Hypothyroidism and hypopituitarism (with decreased levels of these

hormones, glucose levels fall)

CalciumCalcium Calcium is the most common mineral in the body and one of the

most important. Must be corrected with low Albumin. Needed to build and repair bones and teeth, helps nerves work,

enables skeletal and cardiac muscles to contract, functions in blood clotting.

Almost all of the calcium in the body is stored in bone. The rest is found in the blood.

Hypocalcemia - low calcium– GI: increased motility.– Neuromuscular: muscle spasms, or tetany.– Cardiac: dysrhythmias, delayed cardiac contractility, heart failure, ECG

changes.

Hypercalcemia - high calcium– GI: diarrhea, anorexia, constipation or nausea.– Neuromuscular: hypo-tonicity, lethargy, confusion, coma, bone pain, and or

pathologic fractures (bone loss).

Questions ?Questions ?

Thank you for your attention,

participation and hard work.

Thank you for your attention,

participation and hard work.