OVERVIEW:
Drain urine is a procedure in which the foley’s catheter is used. The Foley catheter is a tube that helps drain urine from the bladder. It is used by some patients who have difficulty in urination or have had urological or gynecological surgery. The urinary (Foley) catheter is placed into the bladder through the urethra, the opening through which urine passes.
Urea is the final breakdown product of the amino acids. Nitrogen in the form of ammonia is produced in the liver after protein is broken down. The nitrogen combines with the other chemicals in the liver to form the waste product “UREA”. The urea is released into the bloodstream and carried to the kidneys where it is filtered out of the blood and excreted in the urine.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
How is this test performed?
This test is performed on a urine sample.
Is there any risk associated with this test?
There is no risk associated with the test.
INTERPRETATION OF THE RESULT:
- High urea levels suggest poor kidney function, could be acute or chronic kidney diseases. However, there are many factors besides kidney disease that can affect urea levels such as:
- Decreased blood flow to the kidneys as in congestive heart failure, shock, stress, recent heart attack or severe burns
- Bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract
- Conditions that obstruct urine flow