Low Aldosterone Blood Test: Causes, Low Blood Pressure, Potassium, and Meaning
A low aldosterone blood test means the body may not be making enough of a salt-and-water hormone that helps control blood pressure, sodium balance,...
Low Anion Gap Blood Test: Causes, Albumin, Lab Error, and Meaning
A low anion gap means the calculated difference between certain positively and negatively charged particles in the blood is smaller than expected. Most of...
Low Bicarbonate Blood Test: Causes, Metabolic Acidosis, Kidney Disease, and Meaning
A low bicarbonate blood test means the blood has less bicarbonate than expected, usually because the body is dealing with extra acid, losing bicarbonate,...
Low Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) Test: Causes, Liver Disease, Low Protein, and Meaning
A low blood urea nitrogen, or low BUN, result means there is less urea nitrogen than expected in your blood. Urea is made in...
Low BUN/Creatinine Ratio Test: Causes, Liver Disease, Nutrition, and Meaning
A low BUN/creatinine ratio is a laboratory finding that compares two common kidney-related blood markers: blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine. While healthcare providers...
Low Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Blood Test: Causes, Acid-Base Balance, and Meaning
A low carbon dioxide blood test result usually means the bicarbonate level in your blood is low. On a chemistry panel, “CO2” does not...
Low Chloride Blood Test: Causes, Electrolyte Imbalance, and Meaning
Chloride is one of the main electrolytes measured on routine blood chemistry panels. A low chloride blood test result means the chloride level in...
Low Creatinine Blood Test: Causes, Low Muscle Mass, and Meaning
A low creatinine blood test usually means your body is making less creatinine than expected, most often because of low muscle mass, aging, small...
Low Ionized Calcium Test: Causes, Symptoms, Hypocalcemia, and Meaning
Low ionized calcium means the active, unbound calcium in your blood is below the expected range. This matters because ionized calcium is the form...
Low Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) Blood Test: Causes, Calcium, Phosphorus, and Meaning
A low parathyroid hormone (PTH) blood test means the parathyroid glands are making less PTH than expected for the body’s calcium balance. PTH is...
Low Potassium Blood Test: Causes, Symptoms, Heart Rhythm, and Meaning
A low potassium blood test means the potassium level in the blood is below the lab’s reference range, most often below 3.5 mEq/L, which...
Low Renin Blood Test: Causes, Blood Pressure, Aldosterone, and Meaning
A low renin blood test means the kidneys are releasing less renin than expected for the testing conditions. Renin is a kidney-made enzyme that...
Low Serum Osmolality Test: Causes, Hyponatremia, Fluid Balance, and Meaning
Low serum osmolality means the watery part of the blood has fewer dissolved particles than expected. In everyday terms, the blood is too diluted....
Low Sodium Blood Test: Causes, Symptoms, Hyponatremia, and Meaning
A low sodium blood test result means the sodium concentration in your blood is below the usual reference range. This is called hyponatremia. Sodium...
Low Urea Blood Test: Causes, Liver Disease, Low Protein, and Meaning
A low urea blood test means there is less urea than expected in the blood. Urea is a waste product made mostly in the...
Low Uric Acid Blood Test: Causes, Kidney Loss, Diet, and Meaning
A low uric acid blood test means the amount of uric acid, also called serum urate, is below the lab’s reference range. Uric acid...
Magnesium and Potassium: Interpreting Electrolyte Imbalance Patterns
Magnesium and potassium are closely linked electrolytes, especially in the kidneys, muscles, nerves, and heart rhythm system. Potassium often gets more attention because abnormal...
Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) Test: Kidney Injury Marker, High Levels, and Results
Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, usually shortened to NGAL, is a kidney injury marker that can rise when kidney tubule cells are stressed or damaged. It...
Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) Blood Test Normal Range: Reference Values and Meaning
Parathyroid hormone, often shortened to PTH, is a blood marker that helps show how the body is controlling calcium and phosphorus. The result is...
Potassium and Creatinine: Interpreting Kidney and Heart Rhythm Risk
Potassium and creatinine are often checked together because they answer two closely related questions: how well the kidneys are clearing waste, and whether the...