What is the significance of elevated creatinine

A long-term view of creatinine levels can offer a more accurate measurement of overall kidney function. What are the symptoms of high creatinine levels? What can I do about high creatinine? Here are some things your doctor may recommend: Follow a healthy lifestyle. Make changes to your diet to avoid stress on your kidneys. Cut back on strenuous exercise.

Avoid creatine supplements. You may need to repeat your creatinine blood test and undergo further testing to help determine your high creatinine causes. Taking action as soon as possible will help you feel better and take control of your health.

High creatinine and protein. Get the facts on the blood urea nitrogen BUN test, which is commonly used to determine how well your kidneys are working. Learn how to prepare for…. Kidney function tests are simple blood and urine tests that can help identify problems with your kidneys. The kidneys filter waste materials from the…. Having diabetes increases your risk for diabetic nephropathy, which causes damage to the kidneys. Early treatment can improve your outlook. Kidney stones, or renal calculi, are masses made of crystals.

Learn more about causes and symptoms here. Learn about the symptoms and causes of kidney infection, plus how this potentially serious condition is treated. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Creatinine Blood Test. Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R. Why is a creatinine blood test done? How do I prepare for a creatinine blood test?

What can I expect during a creatinine blood test? In this article, we look at six natural…. What is the normal range for a creatinine blood test? Medically reviewed by Judith Marcin, M. Purpose Procedure Results Causes for high levels Causes for low levels Takeaway The creatinine blood test measures the level of creatinine in the blood.

What is the purpose of the test? Share on Pinterest A creatinine blood test measures kidney function. What does the test involve? What do low or high results mean? Causes for high levels. Share on Pinterest Intense exercise can result in increased creatinine levels.

Causes for low levels. Share on Pinterest Increased urine production during pregnancy can cause low creatinine levels. Latest news Adolescent depression: Could school screening help? Exposure to air pollutants may amplify risk for depression in healthy individuals. Related Coverage. What to know about the kidney stone diet. Because of variability in serum creatinine from one person to another, the GFR may provide a more accurate reading on kidney function. The formula for calculating GFR takes into account the serum creatinine count and other factors, such as age and sex.

A GFR score below 60 suggests kidney disease. The range of scores below 60 may be used to monitor treatment and disease progression. Creatinine clearance is a measure of how well the kidneys filter creatinine out of the bloodstream for excretion in urine.

Creatinine clearance is usually determined from a measurement of creatinine in a hour urine sample and from a serum sample taken during the same time period. However, shorter time periods for urine samples may be used. Accurate timing and collection of the urine sample is important. Results lower than the typical range for your age group may be a sign of poor kidney function or conditions that affect blood flow to your kidneys. Albumin is a protein in blood. Healthy kidneys generally don't filter it out of the blood, so there should be little to no albumin found in the urine.

The results are reported as the number of milligrams mg of albumin for every gram g of creatinine.