comprehensive metabolic panel
test overview
a comprehensive metabolic panel is a blood test that measures your sugar (glucose) level, electrolyte and fluid balance, kidney function, and liver function.
glucose is a type of sugar your body uses for energy. electrolytes keep your body's fluids in balance. they also help keep your body working normally, including your heart rhythm, muscle contraction, and brain function. the kidneys help keep the right balance of water, salts, and minerals in the blood. they also filter out waste and other unneeded substances from the blood. the liver helps with digestion and produces some vitamins and other substances that the body needs. it also controls the amounts of glucose, protein, and fat in the blood and releases substances that keep your immune system healthy.
your doctor may order a comprehensive metabolic panel as part of a regular health exam. your doctor may use this test to check on a medical condition, such as high blood pressure, or to see if a medicine you are taking is harming your kidneys or liver.
this panel measures the blood levels of albumin, blood urea nitrogen, calcium, carbon dioxide, chloride, creatinine, glucose, potassium, sodium, total bilirubin and protein, and liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and aspartate aminotransferase).
you may be asked to stop eating and drinking for 8 to 12 hours before you have this blood test.
related information
- alanine aminotransferase (alt) test
- alkaline phosphatase test
- aspartate aminotransferase (ast) test
- basic metabolic panel
- bilirubin test
- blood glucose test
- blood urea nitrogen (bun) test
- calcium (ca) in blood test
- carbon dioxide (co2) test
- chloride (cl) test
- creatinine and creatinine clearance tests
- potassium (k) in blood test
- sodium (na) in blood test
- total serum protein test
credits
current as of: may 13, 2023
author: healthwise staff
clinical review board
all healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
current as of: may 13, 2023
author: healthwise staff
clinical review board
all healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
