The CMP 14 blood test is also referred to as a comprehensive metabolic panel. It’s referred to as one blood test, but it is actually a series of 14 different blood tests that occur. A medical provider will typically order this blood test as part of an individual’s annual checkup. It may also be ordered when seeking emergency medical assistance, to monitor specific health conditions, or any time when a comprehensive look at the status of a person’s health is required.
Here are the tests that are run during the CMP 14 blood test and an explanation of what will be looked at in those results.
1. Glucose Test.
This blood test looks at the blood sugar levels of an individual at the time of testing. It is one of the easiest ways to detect if diabetes may be a health concern that needs to be addressed or how effectively someone is managing their disease. Anything above 120-140 may result in additional testing.
2. Kidney Testing.
Three of the CMP 14 blood tests are designed to measure the overall health of a person’s kidneys. Urea nitrogen levels, creatinine, and the ratio of creatinine and urea nitrogen are compared to create an overall kidney profile. These indications of kidney function can lead a medical provider to suspect early kidney disease development if abnormal. It can also show if there are issues in the filtration work that the kidneys are performing to see if there are potential hormone-based issues which may need further testing.
3. Liver Testing.
A majority of the CMP 14 blood test results are used to examine the health of the liver. This includes total protein levels, albumin, globulin, the A/G ratio, bilirubin levels, alkaline phosphates, AST/SGOT, and ALT/SGPT. Because so many of these results can vary from day to day, a medical provider looks at this complete panel to determine what the status of liver health may be. Having just one of these liver testing components be out of range may not be medically significant.
Sometimes lifestyle habits can directly affect the test results in this area as well. A strenuous workout, for example, may lead to abnormal levels of AST being discovered. Certain medications are also known to damage the liver and create extremely high test results in this part of the CMP 14 panel. Certain viral infections of the liver, especially hepatitis, will also cause abnormal results.
4. Fluid And Electrolyte Testing.
One of the most common reasons for ill health is an imbalance of fluids or electrolytes. Many people are dehydrating themselves chronically and may not even realize it. Certain beverage choices may include caffeine, which is a known diuretic. Heavy amounts of caffeine consumption on a regular basis may create an imbalance in these specific areas, as can malnutrition, poor eating habits, or certain medications like protein pump inhibitors.
In this portion of the CMP 14 blood test, a person’s overall sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and total carbon dioxide are going to be measured. If one of these components is found to be out of balance, a medical provider will typically look at the individual’s lifestyle habits and suggest nutritional changes or the addition of a supplement to counter bothersome symptoms that may be present.
What Happens If I Have Several Abnormal Results?
Diabetes is the primary concern that medical providers tend to have if there are several abnormal results found on the CMP 14 blood test. This is especially true if glucose levels are either borderline high or above 140 on repetitive tests.
Results that are abnormal can also be an indication of several different medical issues that may be happening at varying stages. Kidney failure, problems with the lungs, and nerve-related symptoms can all be discovered using this blood test and lead a medical provider toward more specific testing so that a diagnosis can be given.
Fasting is typically required for 8 hours for the results of this test to be successful. A medical provider may also have specific instructions to follow based on lifestyle habits. Certain medications and supplements have been known to alter results. Most results from this blood test are available within 72 hours.
Because of biological variability, normal results are just averaged across all test results and are not necessarily an indication of health. Always discuss what your specific CMP 14 blood test results mean to your medical history with your doctor to determine what the status of your health happens to be.