The kidneys are a pair of organs that are responsible for cleaning up the blood by removing waste products and toxins. Blood flows through the kidneys and is filtered for its impurities. These impurities are then passed into the urinary bladder from each kidney. Here, the liquid waste urine collects until there is a sufficient amount of urine that prompts urination. This process of filtration takes place throughout the day. The functioning of the kidneys is important as a patient will die of toxicity if the kidneys fail. However, most cases of abnormal kidney function are gradual and progressive. Correction at the right stage can help an individual avoid total kidney failure. It is possible to live with total kidney failure. However, one has to have regular sessions with a dialysis machine that will be used to filter the blood of the body. This is done to ensure that the buildup of toxins in the blood is cleared.
There are many signs of abnormal kidney function that can be noted before the doctor recommends an abnormal kidney function test. An abnormal kidney function test is a test used to check if the kidneys are doing their job or not. There are many ways in which a doctor can administer an abnormal kidney function test. The use of different types of kidney function tests depends entirely on the choice of the doctor. The most common abnormal kidney function tests include the creatinine clearance test, the urea clearance test, the urine concentration test and the urine protein test.
When it comes to the creatinine clearance test and the urea clearance test, the method of testing is the same. In both tests, the subject will be made to urinate regularly into a cup for urine analysis. The blood of the subject will also be tested for the quantity of either creatinine or urea, depending on the test that is being performed. The amount of these substances being removed by the kidneys is crucial towards understanding their functioning capability. Low kidney function test results are found when the body is not being cleared of these substances quickly enough. Low kidney function test results are also determined when the concentration of urine is abnormal. This is applicable to the urine concentration test.
As far as the urine protein test goes, the sample is tested for its protein content. Normal healthy kidneys let only a small amount of protein out. When protein levels are high, the kidneys are considered to be abnormal. Such high kidney function test results would also point out certain abnormalities that would require immediate medical attention.