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Comprehensive Metabolic Panel

Topic Overview

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel—Topic Overview

A comprehensive metabolic panel is a blood test that measures your sugar (glucose) level, electrolyteelectrolyte and fluid balance, kidneykidney function, and liver function.

Glucose is a type of sugar your body uses for energy. Electrolytes keep your body's fluids in balance. They also help keep your body working normally, including your heart rhythm, muscle contraction, and brain function. The kidneys help keep the right balance of water, salts, and minerals in the blood. They also filter out waste and other unneeded substances from the blood. The liver helps with digestion and produces some vitamins and other substances that the body needs. It also controls the amounts of glucose, protein, and fat in the blood and releases substances that keep your immune systemimmune system healthy.

Your doctor may order a comprehensive metabolic panel as part of a regular health examination. Your doctor may use this test to check on a medical condition, such as high blood pressure, or to help diagnose a medical condition, such as diabetesdiabetes.

This panel measures the blood levels of albumin, blood urea nitrogen, calcium, carbon dioxide, chloride, creatinine, glucose, potassium, sodium, total bilirubin and protein, and liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and aspartate aminotransferase).

  • AlbuminAlbumin
  • Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)
  • CalciumCalcium
  • Carbon Dioxide (Bicarbonate)Carbon Dioxide (Bicarbonate)
  • ChlorideChloride
  • CreatinineCreatinine
  • GlucoseGlucose
  • PotassiumPotassium
  • SodiumSodium
  • Total BilirubinTotal Bilirubin
  • Total ProteinTotal Protein
  • Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)
  • Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)
  • Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)

You may be asked to stop eating and drinking for 10 to 12 hours before you have this blood test.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of UseTerms of Use. Learn how we develop our contenthow we develop our content.

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