Urine is a product of metabolism. It is formed by the filtration of blood in the kidneys. The chemical composition is very complex, it contains more than 150 components, including water, metabolic products that are not necessary for the body (urea, uric acid), dissolved mineral salts, various toxins. It is usually a light yellow liquid with a slight ammonia odor, with a specific gravity of 1002-1030 (the average is 1015-1018). An adult excretes about 1500 ml of urine per day.
Urine reaction is acidic or weakly acidic. Changes in physicochemical properties depend on various external factors (humidity, temperature, physical stress, etc.) and the type of food, for example, when eating dry food or sweating profusely, the color of urine is dark yellow and the relative white maturity is high.
Consumption of many meat products, soups, legumes, eggs leads to the formation of many uric acid salts in the body and strong oxidation of urine. When dairy and plant products are consumed, phosphate compounds are formed and urine becomes alkaline. Sudden changes in the acid-base balance can lead to stone formation. Under the influence of some drugs and nutrients, the color of urine may change, for example, red from beets and amidopyrine, acrycin, light yellow from biomycin. These changes in urine are temporary in nature, and once their causes are eliminated, their composition and physical properties are restored.
Changes in the physicochemical properties of urine, regardless of these factors, indicate some changes in the body. For example, a dark yellow or greenish urine discharge indicates impaired liver function, a serious disease of the urinary organs in the color of the "flesh stream". The appearance of protein in the urine indicates inflammation of the kidneys and bladder, and the presence of sugar indicates the presence of diabetes. Therefore, urine testing is of great importance in the diagnosis of many diseases.
Urine analysis - allows you to detect impaired renal function, as well as some changes in metabolism associated with damage to various organs. Routine (clinical) urine analysis is performed in all patients. It determines the physical properties of urine (color, odor, reaction, clarity, specific gravity), chemical composition (determination of components such as protein, bilirubin, sugar, which are not characteristic of normal urine), as well as microscopic sedimentation of blood. shape elements - the presence of leukocytes and erythrocytes, as well as other cells). The urine to be taken for analysis is placed in a clean container and the mouth is tightly closed. For clinical analysis, 100-200 ml of urine is taken. The external genitalia should be washed before collecting urine.
The color and clarity of the urine is determined visually. In this case, the urine is taken to the cylinder and placed on a white object. Normal urine ranges from light yellow to dark brown. Its color depends on the presence of pigments in its composition. If the urine contains a large amount of pigments that are formed in the body or sent from abroad, its color is unique, if the urine is mixed with bile pigments, it takes on the color of beer (from yellow-green to dark brown ), if blood pigments (hematuria, hemoglobinuria) are mixed, in which case it turns the color of meat wash.
Urine may turn this color when there is acute inflammation of the kidneys, urinary tract, urinary stones, tumors of the kidneys and urinary tract. Some medications given to patients can also change the color of the urine. For example, methylene zinc changes the color of urine to green or blue, while drinking santonine turns it golden in an acidic environment, red in an alkaline environment, and so on.
Urine clarity is determined in translucent light beams, in a clean container. The urine of healthy people is clear. If a large amount of bacteria develops in it, it becomes cloudy. Leukocytes, erythrocytes, epithelium of the kidneys and urinary tract, the presence of large amounts of renal cylinders cause urinary incontinence.
Urine odor is determined organoleptically. When left for a long time, the urine smells of ammonia due to the decomposition of urea. In diabetes, however, it sometimes has the smell of acetone (reminiscent of the smell of rotten apples).
