Complete metabolic panel what is it

You are here Home » Comprehensive Metabolic Panel. Top of the page. Topic Overview A comprehensive metabolic panel is a blood test that measures your sugar glucose level, electrolyte and fluid balance, kidney function, and liver function. Related Information Basic Metabolic Panel. Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures, 6th ed. Louis: Saunders. Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, 8th ed.

Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Mosby's Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests, 4th ed. Louis: Mosby. Credits Current as of: September 23, Top of the page Next Section: Related Information.

It may be done to assess your general health or to diagnose and follow the course of certain diseases and their management. Also referred to as a metabolic panel, chemistry panel, or chem 14, this is a relatively common test that is done from a single blood draw.

A CMP is typically done as part of your yearly checkup. It can also be ordered if you are ill and hospitalized. Your healthcare provider may also order a comprehensive metabolic panel based on your risk factors for certain conditions, or to monitor them if you're already diagnosed, such as:. In addition to determining the health of your liver and kidneys, the CMP also checks the status of your blood sugar and protein levels, as well as your body's electrolytes and fluid balance.

The CMP doesn't necessarily diagnose a single condition. Given the breadth of the test, it often gives your healthcare provider a starting point to order more targeted tests to diagnose a specific condition. The test may also be used to monitor medications that could affect kidney or liver function. Those can include pain relievers acetaminophen, naproxen, ibuprofen , statins, antibiotics, and illegal street drugs cocaine, heroin, amphetamines.

The 14 tests that make up a comprehensive metabolic panel are as follows. These measures are useful to review together, rather than alone, as patterns of results can be more telling—which is why they are tested at the same time.

It includes the same CMP measurements minus the liver and protein tests. Your healthcare provider may order this less-comprehensive test if, for example, liver function isn't a concern. A complete metabolic panel takes only a few minutes.

It may be done at your healthcare provider's office or lab facility. It may also be done in an ER setting or if you've been admitted to the hospital. As the test requires a minimum eight-hour fast, many patients schedule it for first thing in the morning. The blood draw will be taken from your arm, so it makes sense to wear something with sleeves that can be easily rolled up. A metabolic panel is based on a single blood draw. The procedure followed is the same as with any other venipuncture, and your sample will be collected by a nurse or phlebotomist.

You will be allowed to leave right after the test. Your sample will then be sent to a lab for analysis. A comprehensive metabolic panel is generally safe. The only risks stem from the blood draw itself, and these tend to resolve quickly.

Your healthcare provider should get results back quickly, in a day or two at the most. As details of the various tests involved reveal, the metabolic panel gives healthcare providers a comprehensive look at overall metabolic health, particularly the liver and kidneys and their different processes. Your healthcare provider will typically look for patterns in the variety of results, rather than at one specific result. These are different enzymes made by the liver.

Bilirubin , a waste product made by the liver. BUN blood urea nitrogen and creatinine , waste products removed from your blood by your kidneys. Other names: chem 14, chemistry panel, chemistry screen, metabolic panel. What is it used for? A CMP is used to check several body functions and processes, including: Liver and kidney health Blood sugar levels Blood protein levels Acid and base balance Fluid and electrolyte balance Metabolism A CMP may also be used to monitor the side effects of certain medicines.

Why do I need a CMP? What happens during a CMP? Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test? Are there any risks to the test? What do the results mean? If you have questions about your results, talk to your health care provider. Is there anything else I need to know about a CMP?

Winston-Salem NC : Brenner; c Metabolism; [cited Aug 22]; [about 3 screens]. Washington D.