What is bun test?

A BUN test, short for Blood Urea Nitrogen test, measures the amount of nitrogen in your blood that comes from the waste product urea. Urea is made when your liver breaks down proteins, and it enters your bloodstream to be filtered out by your kidneys.

BUN levels can be an indicator of how well your kidneys are functioning, as they are responsible for removing urea and other waste products from the bloodstream. Abnormal BUN levels may suggest kidney disease or dysfunction, dehydration, heart failure, liver disease, or a high-protein diet.

Typically, a BUN test involves a simple blood draw and the results are reported as the amount of nitrogen in a certain volume of blood (usually milligrams per deciliter). It is important to note that BUN levels may fluctuate depending on various factors, so it is always important to discuss the results with a healthcare provider.