A comprehensive metabolic panel is a group of blood tests. They supply a general understanding of your body’s chemical balance and metabolic process. Metabolism refers to all the physical and chemical processes in the body that use energy.
What Is CMP Blood Test?
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, 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 unnecessary substances from the blood. The liver aids with digestion and produces some vitamins and other compounds that the body requires. It also controls the amounts of glucose, protein, and fat in the blood and launches substances that keep your body immune system healthy.
Your doctor might purchase a comprehensive metabolic panel as part of a regular health examination. Your doctor might use this test to check on a medical condition, such as hypertension, or to assist identify a medical condition, such as diabetes.
How CMP Blood Test is Performed
A blood sample is needed. You must not eat or drink for 8 hours before the test.
Is it painful? When the needle is placed to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel just a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight swelling. This quickly disappears.
What Is a CMP Blood Test Done for?
This test gives your health care provider info about:
- How your kidneys and liver are working
- Blood sugar, cholesterol, and calcium levels
- Salt, potassium, and chloride levels (called electrolytes).
- Protein levels.
Your provider may buy this test during a yearly exam or routine checkup.
Normal Results for CMP Blood Test
Normal ranges for the panel tests are:
| Normal CMP Blood Test Results (what is included in a cmp blood test) | |
|---|---|
| Albumin | 3.4to 5.4 g/dL (34 to 54 g/L) |
| Alkaline phosphatase | 44 to 147 IU/L (0.73 to 2.45 µkat/ L) |
| ALT (alanine aminotransferase) | 7 to 40 IU/L (0.12 to 0.67 µkat/ L) |
| AST (aspartate aminotransferase) | 10 to 34 IU/L (0.17 to 0.57 µkat/ L) |
| BUN (blood urea nitrogen) | 6 to 20 mg/dL (2.14 to 7.14 mmol/L) |
| Calcium | 8.5 to 10.2 mg/dL (2.13 to 2.55 mmol/L) |
| Chloride | 96 to 106 mEq/L (96 to 106 mmol/L) |
| CO2 (carbon dioxide) | 23 to 29 mEq/L (23 to 29 mmol/L) |
| Creatinine* | 0.6 to 1.3 mg/dL (53 to 114.9 µmol/ L) |
| Glucose | 70 to 100 mg/dL (3.9 to 5.6 mmol/L) |
| Potassium | 3.7 to 5.2 mEq/L (3.70 to 5.20 mmol/L) |
| Salt | 135 to 145 mEq/L (135 to 145 mmol/L) |
| Total bilirubin | 0.3 to 1.9 mg/dL (5.0 to 32.5 µmol/ L) |
| Total protein | 6.0 to 8.3 g/dL (60 to 83 g/L) |
| *Normal results for creatinine can differ with age. | |
Normal result varieties for all tests may differ somewhat amongst various labs. Some laboratories use various measurements or may test different specimens. Speak to your supplier about the meaning of your particular test results.
What Abnormal Results of CMP Blood Test Mean
Abnormal results can be due to a variety of different medical conditions. These may include kidney failure, liver disease, breathing problems, and diabetes complications.
Risks
There is little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries differ in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking blood from some people may be harder than from others.
Other risks associated with having actually blood drawn are small however might consist of:.
- Excessive bleeding.
- Fainting or feeling lightheaded.
- Hematoma (blood collecting under the skin).
- Infection (a minor risk any time the skin is broken).
Alternative Names for CMP Blood Test: Metabolic panel – comprehensive; Chem-20; SMA20; Sequential multi-channel analysis with computer-20; SMAC20; Metabolic panel 20.
