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"Question The doctor is worried about my kidneys and has sent me to have a test. What do high creatinine levels mean? Answer Creatinine, urea and urate all increase as the ability of the kidneys to filter fluid within the body declines.  This is irrespective of the cause of reduced efficiency of the kidneys.  The most common reasons for developing raised creatinine levels will be when the filtration mechanism becomes gradually damaged by long-term raised blood pressure or diabetes.  In any severe feverish illness where the person gets dehydrated, there may be a rise in blood creatinine levels as the kidney tries to deal with the breakdown products of proteins in our bodies.  Acute renal failure may result from trauma, blood loss, serious infections, poisons, some cancers and biochemical imbalances, to name but a few causes.  As the kidneys become increasingly unable to cope, so the creatinine level rises. A reliable measure of renal function is often expressed to doctors by a creatinine clearance test.  This involves a formula that expresses the blood creatinine in relation to the amount of creatinine produced in the urine over a 24-hour interval.  On its own, a single creatinine level does not really give us much useful information.  It is more valuable to look at a few other tests at the same time, including urine examination for biochemistry and microbiological content, together with X-rays or scans, and sometimes even biopsies of the kidneys.  But, in very general terms, a rising level of creatinine signifies an increasing problem with poorly performing kidneys. If you have specific concerns about yourself, or a friend, I suggest that you try to discuss this with the person who has arranged for the tests to be done.  Yours sincerely The NetDoctor Medical Team  Other Qs &amp;amp;amp; As Cystitis Cystitis and oral sex Dark urine following cystitis treatment How painful is a cystoscopy? I can&amp;#039;t understand this medical jargon I think I&amp;#039;ve been having cystitis for the past four years Itchy foreskin Low-grade cystitis Non-specific urethritis Persistent cystitis Recuring bladder infection Recurring UTI Urinary infection won&amp;#039;t go away Urinary tract infection symptoms What do low creatinine levels mean? What is happening to my daughter? What is nephronophthisis? What is sclerosing cholangitis? Why is this enzyme raised? Will my urine infection come back?  Last updated 31.08.2014 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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