What is Creatinine Level and Creatinine Test

Creatinine is a chemical waste product in the blood that passes through the kidneys to be filtered and eliminated in urine. The chemical waste is a by-product of normal muscle contractions. Creatinine is made from creatine, a supplier of energy to the muscle.The creatinine blood test measures the level of creatinine in the blood. Normal levels of creatinine in the blood are approximately 0.6 to 1.2 milligrams (mg) per deciliter (dL) in adult males and 0.5 to 1.1 milligrams per deciliter in adult females.

Generally, creatinine levels in the blood remain unchanged from day to day because muscle mass usually stays the same. Taking certain medicines, eating a lot of meat or building muscles through weight training or other exercise may show higher amounts of creatinine, even in those who don’t have chronic kidney disease (CKD). Creatinine levels can be lower than normal for people who are elderly, malnourished or vegetarian.

Muscular young or middle-aged adults may have more creatinine in their blood than the norm for the general population. Elderly persons, on the other hand, may have less creatinine in their blood than the norm. Infants have normal levels of about 0.2 or more, depending on their muscle development. In people with malnutrition, severe weight loss, and long standing illnesses, the muscle mass tends to diminish over time and, therefore, their creatinine level may be lower than expected for their age.

Know your creatinine level

Creatinine tests, such as the serum creatinine, creatinine clearance and BUN/creatinine help doctors determine if kidneys are not functioning properly. People diagnosed with chronic kidney disease will likely be tested regularly. Knowing your creatinine level will help your healthcare team determine your treatment for kidney disease, including the amount of dialysis you should receive.

How to Prepare for the Test

The health care provider may tell you to temporarily stop taking certain medicines that can affect the test. Medicines include:

• Aminoglycosides (for example, gentamicin)
• Cimetidine
• Heavy metal chemotherapy drugs (for example, cisplatin)
• Kidney damaging drugs such as cephalosporins (for example, cephalexin)
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Trimethoprim

How the Test will Feel

When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging sensation. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or slight bruising. These soon go away.

The most common causes of longstanding (chronic) kidney disease in adults are high blood pressure and diabetes mellitus. Certain drugs can sometimes cause abnormally elevated creatinine levels. Serum creatinine can also transiently increase after ingestion of a large amount of dietary meat; thus, nutrition can sometimes play a role in creatinine measureme

Haveing any question? You can contect us on online doctor,and you can send email to kidneyfight@hotmail.com