Urea and Electrolytes Profile Blood Test – Clinic Visit – £85 po

What are the Common Urea Electrolytes Clinic Questions?

Q: What happens when your body needs Na?

• A: Energy loss, drowsiness and fatigue, restlessness and irritability, muscle weakness, spasms or cramps. 

Q: What controls it levels in the body?

• A: They are partly controlled by a hormone called aldosterone, which is made by the adrenal glands.

Q: What happens if Na is high in the body?

• A: Hypernatremia typically causes thirst. The most serious symptoms of hypernatremia result from brain dysfunction. Severe hypernatremia can lead to confusion, muscle twitching, seizures, coma, and death.

Q: Can the body live without it?

• A: The human body can’t live without it. 

Q: What increases it levels?

• A: Dehydration, which may be caused by not drinking enough, diarrhoea, or certain medicines called diuretics.

Q: Can drinking water lower Na levels?

• A: Drinking too much water can dilute sodium levels in the body to a dangerously low level.

Q: Can high Na cause problems?

• A: It can raise blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Q: Why is potassium important for our body?

• A: It is an essential electrolyte in the body, along with Na or magnesium, responsible for assuring adequate functioning of our cells and tissues.

Q: What are the different sources of potassium?

• A: Bananas, dairy products, potatoes, nuts, watermelon, avocado, cooked white meat and poultry. 

Q: What are the low-potassium food sources?

• A: Cabbage, grapes, mushrooms, raw onion, green beans, pineapple, cucumber, lettuce leaves, blueberries, and eggplant. 

Q: What are the causes of hyperkalemia (high potassium)?

• A: Heart attack or strokes, drug abuse, alcoholism, kidney disorders, excessive dehydration, and excessive use of potassium supplements without consulting a doctor. 

Q: What are the causes of hypokalemia (low potassium)?

• A: Diarrhoea, vomiting, diabetes, renal disorders, folic acid deficiency, extreme sweating, overuse of drugs and alcohol. 

Q: What are the symptoms of hyperkalemia?

• A: Palpitation, breathing difficulties, fatigue or tiredness, chest pain, bowel disorders (constipation), vomiting, nausea, muscle pain and cramps.

Q: What are the symptoms of hypokalemia?

• A: Weakness, palpitation, bloating, increased urination, muscle cramps, feeling thirsty, low the pressure leading to fainting. 

Q: Why is bicarbonate important to the human body?

• A: It is a base substance that the body needs to help keep a normal acid-base (pH) balance. 

Q: What causes too much of it?

• A: It may be due to digestive issues that disrupt the blood’s acid-base balance, like repeated vomiting.

Q: What happens when it is low?

• A: Low levels are a sign of metabolic acidosis.

Q: Which organ is responsible for it?

• A: The pancreas also secretes large amounts of sodium bicarbonate, which protects the duodenum by neutralizing the acid that comes from the stomach. 

Q: What causes high urea levels?

• A: The inability of the kidneys to remove the waste products efficiently causes high levels. 

Q: What are the symptoms of it?

• A: Itchiness, loss of appetite, restless legs, frequent urination, discoloured or red urine, swelling hands and feet, joint and back pain. 

Q: What affects creatinine levels in the body?

• A: Dehydration, exercise, physical changes in pregnancy, and kidney failure can all impact in the levels.

Q: What is the danger of it?

• A: High levels can indicate that your kidneys aren’t working well. 

Q: What should be avoided?

• A: Eating less red meat and fewer fish products may reduce high levels. 

Q: Can stress increase this levels?

• A: High levels were found to be positively associated with high-stress levels and psychological distress.

Q: Can this levels be reduced naturally?

• A: Lower levels by avoiding creatine and eating more fibre and less protein.