Serum Creatinine Test

Serum Creatinine which is also known as creatinine blood test is done to measure the creatinine levels in the blood. Creatinine is the waste product in the body which is formed when creatine breaks down. Creatine is mainly found in your muscles and a serum creatinine will help your doctor know how well your kidneys are working. If high levels of creatinine are found in the body then that can mean your kidneys are either damaged or not working properly. Serum creatinine is done along with a few other lab tests like BUN and BMP.

The test is done under general physical conditions and hence does not require much preparation. It is important that you tell your doctor about any medicines you are taking for any such severe diseases as some drugs may increase your creatinine levels without affecting the kidneys. The doctor may ask to not take any medicine that can affect the test. Your doctor must know if you are consuming cephalosporin, chemotherapy drugs, cimetidine and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or aspirin. Take the food and drinks as regular. The eating habits do not alter test results.

As stated above serum creatinine measures the healthy working of your kidneys, in medical terms it is a clinical index of renal function. Age, sex and body weight are determinants of serum creatinine level. The fitness level of a person tends to have varied creatinine levels. The normal range of creatinine levels is 0.7 to 1.3 mg/dl in men and 0.6 to 1.1 mg/dl in females. High serum creatinine would mean your kidneys are not working properly. It is estimated by glomerular filtration rate. The serum creatinine level can be used to estimate the serum creatinine level.

The procedure is very safe and not risky at all. Serum creatinine test is a simple test and it just requires a small sample of your blood. The Phlebotomist, a technician who will take the test, will ask you to pull up your sleeve so that he can take the blood from your veins. Once the vein is found, he will puncture the skin and collect the blood in a syringe. After the needle is taken out the phlebotomist will put antiseptic dipped cotton swab over the point. The blood is then sent to the laboratory for analysis and you will get the results after a few days.