KFT (Kidney Function Test)
Understanding KFT (Kidney Function Test)
What is KFT (Kidney Function Test)?
A KFT (Kidney Function Test) evaluates how well your kidneys are functioning, diagnoses any kidney disease or damage, and monitors the treatment response of any renal condition. KFT may be done if you experience symptoms such as frequent urination, bloody urine, muscle cramps, or sharp pain in your groin. This test is also done as part of routine health checkups.
The kidneys play a vital role in removing waste, toxins, and extra water from the body. They are responsible for maintaining a healthy balance of water, salts, and minerals such as calcium, sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. They are also essential for controlling blood pressure and the body’s pH balance, making hormones for red blood cell production, and promoting bone health. Hence, keeping your kidneys healthy is essential for maintaining overall health.
A KFT (Kidney Function Test) helps with the early detection of kidney problems, such as kidney stones, kidney failure, or kidney infections. This early detection allows your doctor to plan the treatment timely and prevent any future complications. KFT also helps in monitoring any known kidney problems, tracking the recovery process if you are already getting treated for the same, and determining if you need dose adjustments of certain medicines that you might be taking for other diseases. Your doctor may also advise this test if you have risk factors for any kidney condition, such as obesity, diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption, or a family history of kidney disease.
Usually, no special preparation is required for this test. You may eat and drink as per your daily routine. Test result ranges are approximate and may differ slightly between different labs depending on the methodology and laboratory guidelines. Talk to your doctor about your specific test results. Narrate your complete medical history to help the doctor correlate your clinical and laboratory findings. The results will help them determine your medical condition, make recommendations for lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise, decide whether or not medication will be required to manage your kidney health, and formulate your overall treatment plan.
What is KFT (Kidney Function Test) used for?
A KFT (Kidney Function Test) is done:
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As part of routine health checkups.
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To help detect any disease affecting the kidneys.
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To screen for kidney disease if you have risk factors, like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of kidney disease.
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To monitor the treatment response of kidney diseases.
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To monitor for the side effects of medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen), antibiotics (vancomycin), ACE inhibitors (lisinopril, enalapril), and diuretics (furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide).
What does KFT (Kidney Function Test) measure?
Contains 3 testsA KFT (Kidney Function Test) comprises a series of blood tests that collectively determine the health of your kidneys. KFT evaluates the value of parameters such as creatinine, urea, and uric acid to diagnose inflammation, infection, or damage and detect disease in the kidneys. In addition, people with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and a family history of kidney disease also need to undergo a renal function test regularly to check for any kidney damage.
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)
Serum Creatinine
A Serum Creatinine test measures the level of creatinine in the blood. Creatinine is a byproduct of muscles’ wear and tear during energy production. The kidneys remove it from the body by filtering from the blood and releasing it into the urine. Therefore, blood creatinine levels can be an indicator to know how well the kidneys are working.
Know more about Serum Creatinine
Uric Acid
A Uric Acid test determines the level of uric acid in your body. Uric acid is a nitrogenous compound produced by the metabolic breakdown of purine. Purines are present as nitrogenous bases in the DNA and are also found in food like red meat and seafood.
Most uric acid dissolves in the blood and goes into your kidneys. From there, it passes through your body via the urine. Decreased elimination of uric acid is often a result of impaired kidney function due to kidney disease. In many cases, the exact cause of excess uric acid is unknown. Doctors seldom need to test for low levels of uric acid.
Know more about Uric Acid
Interpreting KFT (Kidney Function Test) results
Interpretations
These are simple blood tests that can identify some problems with your kidneys.
Abnormal or raised levels than normal may indicate some kidney defect. Abnormal KFT may also indicate that your underlying conditions, like diabetes or high blood pressure, are affecting the kidney.
Note that sometimes, increased levels of the KFT parameters may not necessarily be due to health disorders. For example, increased creatinine levels can occur due to heavy exercise, consumption of cooked meat, or taking protein supplements. Thus, these parameters are also considered while interpreting the tests. Further tests are performed to confirm any health disorders.