Key points about creatinine blood test
- Measures the amount of creatinine, a waste product, in your blood
- Helps check how well your kidneys are working
- Often used to monitor people with diabetes, high blood pressure, or kidney disease
- Simple blood draw with no major prep required
- Very low risk and no recovery time
Overview
A creatinine blood test helps your doctor see how well your kidneys are filtering waste from your body. High levels of creatinine can mean the kidneys aren’t working as well as they should. It’s often used along with other tests like the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) to get a full picture of kidney health.
Candidates for creatinine blood test
You may need this test if you:
- Have symptoms of kidney trouble (like swelling, fatigue, or changes in urination)
- Have diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease
- Take medications that may affect kidney function
- Are being treated for or monitored for kidney disease
Preparation for creatinine blood test
Most of the time, no special preparation is needed. Your doctor will let you know if you should fast or stop any medications before the test.
Risks for creatinine blood test
This is a very low-risk procedure. Minor bruising or soreness at the blood draw site is possible, but problems are rare.
Recovery from creatinine blood test
You can return to your normal activities right away. The test is quick and has no downtime.