Comprehensive Metabolic Panel

As a part of any regular physical checkup, doctors usually ask patients to get a basic or comprehensive metabolic panel tests done to get a general idea of their liver and kidney conditions, electrolyte and fluid balance and the status of their glucose levels. A CMP blood test comprises 14 standard tests which check for the levels of different chemical components in the blood of the patient and can be used to deduce the health conditions of the liver, kidneys and the body as a whole.

CMP Tests
There are 14 tests included in comprehensive metabolic panel. A simpler version of the CMP blood test is the basic metabolic panel which consists of 8 out of the 14 original tests. All these are chemical tests that are performed on a sample of blood, that is collected from the patient using a needle. The sample is usually collected after observance of a 10-12 hour fast by the patient.

Here is a list of the 14 tests:

• Blood Glucose Test: This test is done to determine the levels of blood glucose in the body and is an important diagnostic indicator in case of developing diabetes and high blood pressure in an individual.
• Human Serum Albumin Test: This is the first test to check the protein levels in the body.
• Serum Total Protein Test: It is the second of the protein tests to determine the total amount of protein in the blood serum.
• Calcium Test: The calcium test is done to determine the amount of calcium that is present in the blood and can be used to indicate conditions such as hypercalcemia or even calcium deficiencies, prompting further diagnosis and treatment.
• Tests for Electrolyte Levels: These are a set of four tests that are used to determine the concentration of certain important electrolytes, that are always present in our body at highly specific concentrations. The four electrolyte tests are carried out to check sodium, potassium, carbon dioxide and chloride levels.
• Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) Test: Blood urea nitrogen test is done to check the amount of urea in the blood and is used to check kidney function. Urea is a waste product that is removed from the body by the kidneys.
• Creatinine Test: This is another important test for determining kidney function. Creatinine is a waste product that is filtered out of the blood by the kidneys in its entirety and if any creatinine is present in blood it directly indicates a reduction in the glomerular filtration rate of the kidney.
• Alkaline Phosphatase Test: It is the first of the four tests used for determining liver function.
• Alanine Amino Transferase Test: Alanine aminotransferase is also called alanine transaminase and is another indicator of liver function and health.
• Aspartate Transaminase Test: It is another test done to determine the condition of the liver.
• Bilirubin Test: Bilirubin is excreted along with bile from the liver and an increase of bilirubin levels in blood could indicate a number of liver disorders including jaundice or hepatitis.

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel Interpretation
The table below, gives the normal levels of the various constituents that should be present in blood and the possible deductions in case of a higher or lower concentration, to help you understand the results.

Name of Compound	Normal Result	Indications of an Abnormal Result
Blood Glucose	64-128 mg/dL	Higher levels could indicate diabetes mellitus, adrenal cortical hyperactivity and hyperthyroidism. Low levels could indicate insulinoma, hypopituitarism and adrenal cortical insufficiency.
Human serum albumin and Human Serum protein	HSA-3.9 to 5.0 g/dL, TP-6.3 to 7.9 g/dL	Low levels of proteins in the blood indicate liver and heart disease. Higher than normal levels indicate blood diseases such as leukemia. In the case of high albumin levels it could be due to malnutrition or dehydration.
Calcium	8.5-10.9 mg/dL	High levels of calcium or hypercalcemia can cause death of cells in the organs, changes in the cardiac rhythm and neuromuscular disorders. Low levels or hypocalcemia can cause severe neural disorders and can also affect blood clotting.
Electrolytes	Sodium-136 to 144 mEq/L, Potassium-3.7 to 5.2 mEq/L, Carbon Dioxide-20 to 29 mmol/L, Chloride-101 to 111 mmol/L	An increase or decrease in electrolytes could cause severe fluid-electrolyte imbalances which could affect osmotic pressures of the cells and cause a number of disorders in the whole body including a number of anomalies in the nervous, cardiovascular and skeletal systems.
Blood Urea Nitrogen	7-20 mg/dL	High blood urea levels could indicate kidney failure, heart disease or in some cases of ulcers in the digestive system. Lower blood urea levels could be a result of malnutrition or depressed liver function, especially due to alcohol use.
Creatinine	0.8 to 1.4 mg/dL (varies with age)	High levels of creatinine in blood is directly related to reduced kidney function.
Alkaline Phosphatase	44 to 147 IU/L	High levels of alkaline phosphatase in the blood indicates liver damage and blockage of bile ducts.
Alanine Aminotransferase	8 to 37 IU/L	High levels indicate liver damage and even heart failure.
Aspartate Aminotransferase	10 to 34 IU/L	High levels of AST indicate acute liver disease.
Bilirubin	0.2 to 1.9 mg/dL	High levels of bilirubin is associated with jaundice, hepatitis or other liver related disorders.

Comprehensive blood panel cost could range from anywhere between USD 90-140 and may vary from place to place. It is recommended for anyone who is getting a regular health checkup done and should be done once a year, especially if the patient is above the age of forty. Although it may be possible to interpret your report by yourself seek the doctor's help for clarifications. Usually if there is an abnormal reading in the CMP blood test the doctor recommends more tests to be done, to properly confirm and identify the exact cause of the change.