Urea Test

What is this test?

Urea blood measures the amount of urea in the blood. This test helps in assessing the functioning of the kidneys and to diagnose any kidney disease.

What is urea?

Urea is a waste product formed in the liver as a result of protein breakdown. This urea is then released into the blood by the liver. Normally, it is then removed from the blood by the kidneys. Kidneys filter urea and it gets removed from the body through urination.

Why this test is performed?

This test is one among many tests used to evaluate your kidney function. Your doctor may ask to perform this test if you experience any signs and symptoms of kidney damage such as fatigue, bloody, coffee-colored or foamy urine, frequent urination, swelling on face, arms, stomach, legs, feet or around eyes, nausea or vomiting, weakness, muscle cramps etc. You may be advised to undergo this test if you have diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure or a family history of kidney problems. Your doctor may also ask to perform this test to check the effectiveness of dialysis treatment in case if you are receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. This test may also be performed with blood tests to rule out other medical conditions, such as liver damage, urinary tract obstruction, congestive heart failure or gastrointestinal bleeding. But these conditions are not diagnosed by this test.

If you have a family history of kidney problems, your doctor may ask you to perform this test on a 6-monthly basis or a yearly basis. Patients with kidney disorders should perform this test on a regular basis, as instructed by the doctor.

Also known as Serum Urea Blood, Serum Urea.