Uric Acid
Understand the uses, result interpretation, etc. of the uric acid test better with our guide. Click here for more details and a free request form template.
Fact Checked by Ericka Pingol.
What is a Uric Acid Test?
A uric acid test is a medical test or diagnostic procedure, also known as a serum urate or uric acid level test, meant to measure and quantify the concentration of uric acid in one’s blood through a blood or urine sample. Uric acid is the chemical compound produced by the body during the metabolic breakdown of food with purines.
Generally, a practitioner will request a uric acid test to diagnose, identify, and/or monitor kidney disorders, causes of kidney stones, gout, chemotherapy or radiation effects, and kidney function after a disease or injury.
Conducting a uric acid test similar to routine blood tests or urine tests. While collecting one’s urine is pretty straightforward and nameless, the blood collection process for the uric acid test is called venipuncture. Before collecting, the patient must inform the referring physician about any medication and supplements since substances such as alcohol, vitamin C, and X-ray examination dyes can affect the accuracy of one’s uric acid test results.Aside from that, the patient may also be asked to fast for at least 4 hours before the test.
The uric acid test results can indicate ailments related to gout, kidney stones, and kidney or liver disease, depending on whether they exceed or go below the normal uric acid level range.
Printable Uric Acid Test
Download this Uric Acid Test to measure and quantify the concentration of uric acid in one’s blood.
How Does it Work?
Step One. Secure a Template Copy
Access and download a digital and printable uric acid test template to bring out when needed by doing one of the two steps below:
- Clicking the “Download Template” or “Use Template”
- Searching “Uric Acid Test” on Carepatron’s template library's search bar on the website or app
Step Two. Produce the Request
First, you must interview, assess, or physically examine your patient. Then, with your observations and findings, determine if a uric acid test is appropriate for your patient. If it is, fill out the template section designed as a request form.
Step Three. Submit the Form
Have your patient or a fellow physician caring for your patient submit the request to the laboratory technician so that the blood sample or urine sample may be collected from the patient.
Step Four. Note Down Interpretations
When the results return, you may use the other half of the template, a section dedicated to analysis, interpretation, and additional observations or findings. The information you obtain and other test results can be used for diagnosis or treatment approach formulation.
Step Five. Securely Store the Template
As a final step, store the completed template securely. It’s recommended that you keep physical copies in a secure location within your establishment that’s easily accessible. Meanwhile, digital copies can be stored on Carepatron, a HIPAA-compliant software for storing electronic patient records.
Uric Acid Test Example (sample)
Here’s a printable and digitally accessible PDF file of a completed Uric Acid test template you can view and print for insight on how it may look when you use it as a request form and/or document where you can write down your analysis and interpretation. It’s important to note that the answers in the sample template are fictional.
For a copy of the example template, view the sample below or click the “Download Template” button.
Download this Uric Acid Test Example:
When Would you use this Test?
Healthcare practitioners may request and use the crucial diagnostic tool that is the uric acid tests when the patient is:
Experiencing Symptoms
When the person presents symptoms that can be attributed to high or low uric acid levels, such as joint pain, swelling, or any other signs of accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints, the practitioner may have the patient undergo the uric acid test.
Undergoing Cancer Treatment
Often, patients undergoing cancer treatments like radiation therapy or chemotherapy must also have their uric acid tested. That’s because these treatments can affect one’s metabolism and heighten the risk of hyperuricemia—a condition wherein uric acid levels become elevated. The test results one will obtain can help the referring physician mitigate potential complications from the side effects of the treatments mentioned above.
Monitoring the Risk of Patients with Kidney Stones
A uric acid test may also be requested often if the patient has a risk of developing kidney stones due to previously diagnosed gout, observed elevated uric acid levels during the first test, and shared lifestyle or medical history. The information obtained from the test can help the referring physician evaluate their risk and implement preventive measures.
It’s important to note that it’s highly encouraged for healthcare practitioners to request based on specific symptoms, scenarios, or medically relevant reasons. Hence the need for prior assessment, interview, or evaluation.
What do the Results Mean?
Even if the interpreting uric acid tests must consider multiple factors such as the patient’s condition, medical history, and reference ranges established by the laboratory that conducted the test analysis, there are still general guidelines that one can use as a basis for assessing these results.
Before delving into that, however, here are the normal ranges you can write on your free blood uric acid test depending on gender and age when the sample is blood.
Normal Ranges of Uric Acid Blood Test
- Men: 3.4 - 7.0 mg/dL or 265-663 mmol/L
- Women: 2.4 - 6.0 mg/dL or 143-357 mmol/L
- Children: 2.0 - 5.5 mg/dL or 119-327 mmol/L
Moving on to the results, here are general interpretations of elevated and low uric acid levels in the blood.
Uric Acid Blood Test
- Elevated Levels: If a patient’s uric acid levels are higher than the upper limit of the normal range for their age and gender, it means that they have elevated or high levels of uric acid in the blood, also known as hyperuricemia. This means uric acid is being overproduced in the body, or the kidney cannot efficiently excrete the uric acid. These levels usually indicate gout, wherein uric acid crystals are deposited in the joints instead.
- Low Levels: If the patient’s levels are close to or lower than the lower limit of the normal range of uric levels for their age and gender, they are relatively healthy. Though the referring physician is free to investigate the factors for the phenomenon, generally, having such levels isn’t a cause for concern.
Normal Ranges of Uric Acid Urine Test
The normal range of uric acid levels in the urine is typically between 250 to 750 mg every 24 hours.
As for results, here are the general interpretations of elevated and low uric acid levels in urine.
- Elevated Levels: If a patient’s uric acid levels are higher than the upper limit provided in the normal range, they may have gout or kidney stones.
- Low Levels: If a patient’s uric acid levels are lower than the lower limit, it indicates various health issues such as kidney disease, alcohol use disorder, and lead poisoning. Further examination is warranted to ascertain underlying causes if this is the case.
Why use Carepatron as your Uric Acid app?
Carepatron is a versatile cloud-based practice management software that offers an array of compelling reasons for healthcare providers, professionals, and private practices to integrate it into their workflow. The primary advantage of using the Carepatron app during every step of uric acid testing is its ability to serve as a centralized worksheet.
On it, practitioners can effectively streamline processes related to clinical documentation, medical billing, medical scheduling, and more. This centralization enhances efficiency and allows healthcare professionals to focus more on delivering quality patient care.
Among the features of Carepatron, one that stands out is handling client records on a patient portal accessible by relevant parties. It significantly reduces the time spent on administrative tasks so healthcare providers can simultaneously allocate more time to their clients and safeguard all their essential documentation.
Furthermore, Carerepatron offers exceptional customer service and customization options that empower healthcare professionals to tailor tools and workflows to their needs to enhance efficiency, productivity, and client outcomes. Carepatron does all these while ensuring global security compliance, adhering to standards like HIPAA, GDPR, and HITRUST, making it a secure and trusted platform for healthcare professionals globally.
If you think that Carepatron is the software your practice needs ASAP, don’t miss out on the chance for free access to all these and more. Sign up for an account today!
References
- Hickman, R. J., MD. (2022). What is a uric acid test? Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/uric-acid-test-4769739
- Millar, H. (2021, April 14). What to know about uric acid tests. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/uric-acid-test
- Russo, E., Viazzi, F., Pontremoli, R., Barbagallo, C. M., Bombelli, M., Casíglia, E., Cicero, A. F. G., Cirillo, M., Cirillo, P., Desideri, G., D’Elia, L., Dell’Oro, R., Ferri, C., Galletti, F., Gesualdo, L., Giannattasio, C., Iaccarino, G., Leoncini, G., Mallamaci, F., . . . Borghi, C. (2021). Serum uric acid and kidney disease measures independently predict cardiovascular and total mortality: The Uric Acid Right for Heart Health (URRAH) project. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2021.713652
Commonly asked questions
General physicians, physician’s assistants, nurses, and specialists such as oncologists, urologists, and nephrologists are the healthcare practitioners who typically request a uric acid test.
Uric acid tests are used to investigate the underlying cause of symptoms and monitor patients with a risk of kidney stones and undergoing cancer treatment to assess risks and implement preventive measures for developing conditions or complications.
Although collecting a sample for a uric acid test will only take a few minutes, the results are generally available only after a few days, depending on the laboratory’s speed.
