Metabolic panel – comprehensive; Chem-20; SMA20; Sequential multi-channel analysis with computer-20; SMAC20; Metabolic panel 20

A comprehensive metabolic panel is a group of blood tests. They provide an overall picture of your body’s chemical balance and metabolism. Metabolism refers to all the physical and chemical processes in the body that uses energy.

How the Test is Performed

A blood sample is needed.

How to Prepare for the Test

You should not eat or drink for 8 hours before the test.

How the Test will Feel

When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away.

Why the Test is Performed

This test gives your health care provider information about:

• How your kidneys and liver are working
• Blood sugar, cholesterol, and calcium levels
• Sodium, potassium, and chloride levels (called electrolytes )
• Protein levels

Your provider may order this test during a yearly exam or routine checkup.

Normal Results

• Albumin : 3.4 to 5.4 g/dL
• Alkaline phosphatase : 44 to 147 IU/L
• ALT (alanine aminotransferase): 10 to 40 IU/L
• AST (aspartate aminotransferase): 10 to 34 IU/L
• BUN (blood urea nitrogen): 6 to 20 mg/dL
• Calcium : 8.5 to 10.2 mg/dL
• Chloride : 96 – 106 mEq/L
• CO2 (carbon dioxide): 23 to 29 mEq/L
• Creatinine : 0.6 to 1.3 mg/dL
• Glucose : 70 to 100 mg/dL
• Potassium : 3.7 to 5.2 mEq/L
• Sodium : 135 to 145 mEq/L
• Total bilirubin : 0.3 to 1.9 mg/dL
• Total protein : 6.0 to 8.3 g/dL

Normal values for glucose and creatinine can vary with age.

Normal value ranges for all tests may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or may test different specimens. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results.

What Abnormal Results Mean

Abnormal results can be due to a variety of different medical conditions. These may include kidney failure, breathing problems, and diabetes complications.

Risks

There is very little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking blood from some people may be more difficult than from others.

Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight but may include:

• Excessive bleeding
• Fainting or feeling lightheaded
• Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
• Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)

Basic metabolic panel

SMAC7; Sequential multi-channel analysis with computer-7; SMA7; Metabolic panel 7; CHEM-7

The basic metabolic panel is a group of blood tests that provides information about your body’s metabolism .

How the Test is Performed

A blood sample is needed. Most of the time blood is drawn from a vein located on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand.

How to Prepare for the Test

You should not eat or drink for 8 hours before the test.

How the Test will Feel

You may feel slight pain or a sting when the needle is inserted. You may also feel some throbbing at the site after the blood is drawn.

Why the Test is Performed

This test is done to evaluate:

• Kidney function
• Blood acid/base balance
• Blood sugar levels

In some cases, the test also is used to check blood levels of calcium and a protein called albumin.

Normal Results

The following are normal ranges for the blood chemicals tested:

• BUN : 7 to 20 mg/dL (2.50 to 7.14 mmol/L)
• CO2 (carbon dioxide) : 20 to 29 mmol/L
• Creatinine : 0.8 to 1.2 mg/dL (70.72 to 106.08 micromol/L)
• Glucose : 64 to 100 mg/dL (3.55 to 5.55 mmol/L)
• Serum chloride : 101 to 111 mmol/L
• Serum potassium : 3.7 to 5.2 mEq/L (3.7 to 5.2 mmol/L)
• Serum sodium : 136 to 144 mEq/L (136 to 144 mmol/L)

Key to abbreviations:

• L = liter
• dL = deciliter = 0.1 liter
• mg = milligram
• mmol = millimole
• mEq = milliequivalents

Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your health care provider about the meaning of your specific test results.

The examples above show the common measurements for results for these tests. Some laboratories use different measurements or may test different specimens.

What Abnormal Results Mean

Abnormal results can be due to a variety of different medical conditions, including kidney failure, breathing problems, diabetes or diabetes-related complications, and medication side effects. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your results from each test.

• BUN
• Creatinine
• CO2 (carbon dioxide)
• Glucose
• Serum chloride
• Serum potassium
• Serum sodium