any correlation between Blood Glucose and BUN?

[ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN]

I'm doing a case study for class, and I was going over the labs and found that the pts BUN and Blood Glucose trend almost identically... one of the days his glucose spiked up very high (267), and the BUN also spiked.. I graphed them and they actually make an identical pattern.. my question is why?? does anyone know the pathophys behind this? I've ben searching the internet for hours and cant find anything.

[Asystole RN]

yes! very astute observation.

to understand the relationship one must understand hyperglycemia. first answer the question, what pathophysiology occurs with hyperglycemia? there are key s&s the nurse is looking for when attempting to assess for hyperglycemia, there lays a clue to the connection.

then answer, what can cause the blood urea nitrogen level to be elevated?

hint.

"what is hyperglycemia?

hyperglycemia (hi"per-gli-se'me-ah) is an increase in plasma glucose (blood sugar). it can turn into a complex medical condition -- diabetic ketoacidosis (ke"to-as"id-o'sis) and coma -- if it's not treated on time and adequately. hyperglycemia is usually the first sign of diabetes mellitus. symptoms of hyperglycemia are

• polyuria (pol"e-yur'e-ah) (excess urine)
  
• polydipsia (pol"e-dip'se-ah) (thirst)
  
• polyphagia (pol"e-fa'je-ah) (excessive hunger) "
  

the american heart association, (2011). hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. retrieved from http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4593

[illuminati88]

Hi,

Look into what physiological processes occur in hyperglycemia, what the body resorts to when glucose is not available for energy, and by products of amino acid breakdown. That should help you on the path :)

[ladyangel341]

Since we know why blood glucose elevated lets go to BUN...

There are 3 reasons of elevation of the BUN

1) renal impairment

2) pregnancy

3) excessive breakdown of protein (called catabolism)

On that three the closest relation to increase glucose is the breakdown of protein...

Why there's a breakdown of protein if there is an increase number of blood glucose?

We are talking about diabetic patient which there is a decrease production of insulin. Insulin helps absorption of glucose into the cells. Lack of insulin makes the glucose remain in the blood stream and some excreted through urination.

So what will the body use for energy if there is no glucose?

That's where protein or fat breakdown happens. The proteins breakdown makes the BUN elevated which urea is the byproduct of protein breakdown.

Hope I helped^^:heartbeat