Lab results online in Canada, explained
Electrolytes, creatinine and eGFR results explained
An electrolyte panel measures minerals such as sodium and potassium, which keep your body's fluids in balance and help your heart, muscles and brain work. Creatinine, eGFR and urea are often checked at the same time to see how well your kidneys are filtering your blood.
Also printed as: Electrolyte Panel (Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Bicarbonate), Creatinine (eGFR), Kidney function tests.
What is on the report
Typical adult ranges. Each lab sets its own, so the range printed next to your result is the one that counts.
| Test | What it is | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium | A mineral salt (electrolyte) that keeps the body's water in balance. | 135–145 mmol/L |
| Potassium | A mineral salt (electrolyte) that keeps your heartbeat and muscles steady. | 3.6–5.2 mmol/L |
| Chloride | A mineral salt (electrolyte) that works with sodium to balance fluids. | 98–107 mmol/L |
| CO2 | Mostly bicarbonate, which keeps your blood from becoming too acidic. | 22–29 mmol/L |
| Creatinine | A waste product from muscles that the kidneys clear. | 52–92 µmol/L (women) 65–119 µmol/L (men) |
| eGFR | An estimate of how much blood your kidneys filter each minute. | over 60 mL/min/1.73m² |
| Urea | The protein waste that US reports print as BUN. | 15–47 mg/dL |
Good to know in Canada
- Alberta lists the panel as Electrolyte Panel (Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Bicarbonate). The bicarbonate result is a measure of carbon dioxide, so some reports call it CO2.
- In Alberta, kidney function appears as Creatinine (eGFR): one blood test for creatinine, with an estimated filtration rate worked out from it.
- Creatinine is a waste product from your muscles. Urea is made when your body breaks down protein. Both rise in the blood as kidney function goes down.
- A urine test for a protein called albumin is a separate check that can show kidney damage early. In Alberta it is listed as Albumin Urine/Creatinine.
Call 911 in an emergency. For health advice that is not an emergency, call 811 in most provinces and territories. For questions about your results, contact your family doctor, nurse practitioner or the clinic that ordered the test.
Keep your reports in one place
Take a photo or screenshot of your lab report, or upload the PDF, and Vita explains each number in plain words, suggests what to ask your doctor, and keeps it with your past results. Vita does not connect to any Canadian health record system. Hospital connections are for US hospitals, not Canadian ones.
Vita Health Coach on the App StoreAsk it in ChatGPT
Vita Health Coach also answers in ChatGPT. One tap opens ChatGPT with this question ready to send:
“What should I ask the doctor about my Electrolyte panel, creatinine (eGFR) and urea result?”
Questions
What is eGFR?
eGFR stands for estimated glomerular filtration rate. It estimates how well the tiny filters in your kidneys are cleaning waste from your blood. It is the most common way kidney clinics measure kidney function.
Why was an electrolyte panel ordered?
It may be part of a regular health exam, a way to check on a health condition, or a way to see whether a medicine you take has changed your electrolyte levels.
Can I have kidney disease without symptoms?
Yes. The Kidney Foundation of Canada notes that even people with serious kidney disease may have no symptoms, which is why blood and urine tests are used to find it.
More for Canada
Sources
General information, not medical advice. VitaMedas is not connected with any government health service. Vita Health Coach explains; it never diagnoses. In an emergency, call 911. Read the medical disclaimer.