Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP)

What is a basic metabolic panel (BMP)?

A basic metabolic panel (BMP) is a blood test that measures eight different substances in your blood. The panel provides helpful information about your body’s chemical balance and metabolism (how your body transforms the food you eat into energy).

Healthcare providers often use a BMP as a go-to blood test and to help diagnose, screen for or monitor certain health conditions.

What does a basic metabolic panel (BMP) include?

A basic metabolic panel measures the following substances in your blood:

• Glucose: Glucose (blood sugar) is your body’s main source of energy. Elevated blood glucose (hyperglycemia) is often a sign of diabetes.
• Calcium: Calcium is one of the most important and common minerals in your body. Your body stores most of it in your bones, but you also need calcium in your blood. Blood calcium is essential for keeping your nerves, muscles and heart healthy.
• BUN (blood urea nitrogen): This is a measurement of urea, which is a waste product that your kidneys help remove from your blood.
• Creatinine: This is a waste product that comes from digesting dietary protein and the normal breakdown of muscle tissue. Your kidneys filter it and remove it from your blood.

A BMP also measures the following four electrolytes:

• Sodium: Most of your sodium comes from the food you eat. It’s critical in helping your cells maintain the right balance of fluid. Your kidneys help regulate your body’s sodium levels.
• Potassium: Potassium helps your nerves and muscles function. It has other roles, as well.
• Bicarbonate: Bicarbonate indicates the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in your blood. It helps maintain a healthy acid-base (pH) balance.
• Chloride: Chloride helps your cells maintain the right balance of fluid.

Why would I need a BMP?

Healthcare providers often order a basic metabolic panel to get a broad assessment of your overall physical health. With eight individual measurements, it can check several body functions, including:

• Your kidney function and health.
• Your blood sugar level.
• The acid and base (pH) balance in your blood.
• Your fluid and electrolyte balance.

A BMP can provide helpful information in many different situations, including:

• If you’re receiving care in an emergency room.
• If you have symptoms related to kidney and/or metabolism issues.
• If you have a general symptom, like fatigue or vomiting.
• To monitor certain chronic conditions you may have, like high blood pressure or kidney disease.
• If you had a prior test result that was abnormal to see if your levels have changed or remain abnormal.
• If you’re starting a new medication that can affect your kidney function.

Do I need to fast for a basic metabolic panel (BMP)?

You’ll likely need to fast for at least eight hours before your basic metabolic panel blood test. Fasting means not eating or drinking anything except water. Your healthcare provider will give you specific instructions when they order the test for you.

What should I expect during a basic metabolic panel blood test?

You can expect the following during a blood test:

• You’ll sit in a chair, and a healthcare provider (usually a phlebotomist) will check your arms for an easily accessible vein. This is usually in the inner part of your arm on the other side of your elbow.
• Once they’ve located a vein, they’ll clean and disinfect the area.
• They’ll then insert a small needle into your vein to take a blood sample. This may feel like a small pinch.
• After they insert the needle, a small amount of blood will collect in a test tube.
• Once they have enough blood to test, they’ll remove the needle and hold a cotton ball or gauze on the site to stop the bleeding.
• They’ll place a bandage over the site, and you’ll be finished.

The entire procedure usually takes less than five minutes.

What should I expect after my basic metabolic panel blood test?

After a healthcare provider has collected your blood sample, they’ll send it to a laboratory for testing. Your provider will then share the results with you.

What are the risks of a basic metabolic panel blood test?

Blood tests are a very common and essential part of medical testing. There’s very little risk to having blood tests. You may have slight tenderness or a bruise at the site of the blood draw. This usually resolves quickly.

When can I expect the results of my basic metabolic panel test?

In most cases, you should get the results of your BMP within one to two business days, though it could take longer.

If you’re receiving care in an emergency room and get a BMP, your care team should have the test results within hours.

What do the results of a basic metabolic panel (BMP) mean?

Blood test reports, including basic metabolic panel test reports, usually provide the following information:

• The name of the blood test or what was measured in your blood.
• The number or measurement of your blood test result.
• The normal measurement range for that test.
• Information that indicates if your result is normal or abnormal or high or low.

Normal values for basic metabolic panel

Laboratories may have different reference ranges for each aspect of a BMP. When you get your blood test results back, there will be information that indicates what that lab’s normal ranges are.

In general, normal ranges for a BMP include:

• Glucose: 74 to 99 mg/dL.
• Calcium: 8.5 to 10.2 mg/dL.
• BUN: 7 to 21 mg/dL.
• Creatinine: 0.58 to 0.96 mg/dL.
• Sodium: 136 to 144 mmol/L.
• Potassium: 3.7 to 5.1 mmol/L.
• Bicarbonate (CO2): 22 to 30 mmol/L.
• Chloride: 98 to 107 mmol/L.

If you have any questions about your results, be sure to ask your healthcare provider.

Abnormal BMP results

If you have an abnormal result, your healthcare provider will likely recommend additional tests to confirm or rule out a specific diagnosis. Providers rarely make a diagnosis solely based on the results of a BMP.

If any single BMP result or a combination of results falls outside of the normal range, it may point to — but not guarantee — many different, long-term (chronic) health conditions, including:

• Diabetes.
• Bone disease.
• High blood pressure (hypertension).
• Kidney disease.
• Liver disease.

A BMP can also help diagnose acute (sudden and severe) conditions, like:

• Dehydration.
• Diabetes-related ketoacidosis.
• Heart failure.
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
• Kidney (renal) failure.

Should I be concerned if I have abnormal basic metabolic panel test results?

If one of your BMP results is abnormal, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a medical condition. Other factors — like the foods you eat, certain medications and health conditions — can affect your test results. There could’ve also been an error in the processing of the test.

Your healthcare provider will consider your medical history and current medications when they assess your results. They’ll let you know if you need further testing.