Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)

CMP Results

Receiving test results

The CMP is a relatively routine test, and laboratories can usually have results available within a few business days after they have received your blood sample.

Your doctor’s office may contact you to describe or discuss your test results. In many cases, you will receive your results in the mail or can access them through an online health portal.

Interpreting test results

A test report for a CMP will typically list each of the 14 items measured and what the levels were in your sample. Be aware that several different units are used depending on the specific measurement.

The test report should also list the reference range for each of these 14 items. This is important because not all laboratories use exactly the same methods to measure the components of the CMP. The range of normal results can vary by laboratory, so it is essential to consider your test levels in the context of the reference range listed for the lab that analyzed your sample.

To illustrate the potential differences in reference ranges, the following table shows common normal ranges as described by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and the National Library of Medicine’s A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia:

MEASUREMENT	NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE’S A.D.A.M. MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA REFERENCE RANGE	ABIM REFERENCE RANGE
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)	4 to 36 U/L	10 to 40 U/L
Albumin	3.4 to 5.4 g/dL	3.5 to 5.5 g/dL
Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)	20 to 130 U/L	30 to 120 U/L
Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)	8 to 33 U/L	10 to 40 U/L
Bicarbonate	23 to 29 mEq/L	23 to 28 mEq/L
Bilirubin	0.1 to 1.2 mg/dL	0.3 to 1.0 mg/dL
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)	6 to 20 mg/dL	8 to 20 mg/dL
Calcium	8.5 to 10.2 mg/dL	8.6 to 10.2 mg/dL
Chloride	96 to 106 mEq/L	98 to 106 mEq/L
Creatinine	0.6 to 1.3 mg/dL	Female: 0.5 to 1.10 mg/dL; Male: 0.7 to 1.30 mg/dL
Glucose	70 to 100 mg/dL	70 to 99 mg/dL
Potassium	3.7 to 5.2 mEq/L	3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L
Sodium	135 to 145 mEq/L	136 to 145 mEq/L
Total Protein	6.0 to 8.3 g/dL	5.5 to 9.0 g/dL

Your health care provider is in the best position to explain and interpret your CMP test results. The doctor will check whether any measurements are abnormally high or low. For abnormal levels, they may consider the degree to which they vary from the laboratory’s reference range.

Interpreting test results often means reviewing each level in the context of the test’s other measurements. Patterns relating to which levels are abnormal can provide meaningful information for the doctor to try to understand the underlying cause of your results. These patterns can help evaluate your kidney and liver condition as well as your metabolic health.

You may want to ask your doctor some follow-up questions, such as:

• Were any of the measurements on my test abnormal? If so, which ones?
• What might explain any abnormal results?
• Based on my CMP results, are there any other tests that you recommend?
• Should I have the CMP test again? If so, when should it be done?

How is the CMP different from the basic metabolic panel (BMP)?

Both the CMP and the BMP are blood tests, but, as the names indicate, the CMP involves more measurements. The CMP includes 14 components, and the BMP typically has eight. The following table illustrates the parts of the typical BMP and CMP:

MEASUREMENT	BMP	CMP
Glucose	✔	✔
Calcium	✔	✔
Sodium	✔	✔
Potassium	✔	✔
Bicarbonate	✔	✔
Chloride	✔	✔
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)	✔	✔
Creatinine	✔	✔
Albumin	✔
Total Protein	✔
Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)	✔
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)	✔
Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)	✔
Bilirubin	✔

All of the measurements in the BMP are also in the CMP. However, the CMP adds the tests found in a typical liver panel test.

Get Tested