BUN is a lab value that stands for what measurement?

BUN is a lab value that stands for what measurement?

• A. Basic urinary nitrogen
• B. Biochemical nitrogen in blood
• C. Blood urea nitrogen
• D. Blood urea nitrogenemia

Answer: (C)

BUN measures the amount of nitrogen in the blood that comes from urea, a waste product formed in the liver from protein metabolism. Urea is normally filtered out of the blood by the kidneys and excreted in urine, so the BUN value helps assess how well the kidneys are removing waste and how much protein breakdown is occurring. The correct term for this lab value is blood urea nitrogen. The other phrases aren’t standard names for this test—“basic urinary nitrogen” isn’t the usual measurement, “biochemical nitrogen in blood” isn’t the accepted terminology, and “blood urea nitrogenemia” mixes terms incorrectly.

BUN measures the amount of nitrogen in the blood that comes from urea, a waste product formed in the liver from protein metabolism. Urea is normally filtered out of the blood by the kidneys and excreted in urine, so the BUN value helps assess how well the kidneys are removing waste and how much protein breakdown is occurring. The correct term for this lab value is blood urea nitrogen. The other phrases aren’t standard names for this test—“basic urinary nitrogen” isn’t the usual measurement, “biochemical nitrogen in blood” isn’t the accepted terminology, and “blood urea nitrogenemia” mixes terms incorrectly.