Elevated BUN levels are generally indicative of what condition?

Elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels are primarily indicative of kidney function. When the kidneys are not functioning effectively, they are less able to filter waste products, including urea, from the blood. Consequently, urea accumulates in the bloodstream, resulting in elevated BUN levels. This situation commonly arises in various forms of kidney failure, where the kidneys may be damaged due to intrinsic factors, obstruction, or systemic diseases affecting renal perfusion and function.

Both scenarios of acute and chronic kidney failure lead to an increase in BUN levels. Additionally, while certain non-renal factors such as dehydration can also elevate BUN, the correlation between significantly raised BUN and kidney dysfunction remains a primary focus in clinical assessments.

In summary, elevated BUN is a crucial marker in evaluating renal function, and its elevation primarily points toward kidney failure when assessed in the context of other renal function tests.