Some of the causes of high creatinine levels are:
Chronic kidney diseaseWhen kidneys are damaged, they he trouble removing creatinine from the blood, and levels rise.
Doctors use the creatinine blood test result to calculate glomerular filtration rate (GFR), a more specific measure to indicate chronic kidney disease.
Doctors consider a GFR of 60 or over to be normal, while a GFR of less than 60 may indicate kidney disease. A GFR level of 15 or less indicates kidney failure.
Kidney obstructionA blockage in urine flow, such as an enlarged prostate or kidney stone, could cause kidney obstruction.
This blockage can create a backup of urine into the kidney and impair the kidney’s ability to function correctly. The medical term for this condition is hydronephrosis.
Obstructions affecting both kidneys can raise a person’s blood creatinine levels.
Increased consumption of proteinWhat a person eats can affect creatinine levels.
For example, proteins and cooked meat contain creatinine, so eating more than the recommended amount of meat or other proteins for a person’s activity levels can cause high creatinine levels after eating.
However, long-term studies he shown that high protein diets do not significantly impact blood creatinine levels over a 2-year period.
Intense exerciseCreatinine is present in the muscles and helps them produce energy. Both dehydration and muscle breakdown from exercise may cause an increase in blood creatinine levels.
Certain medicationsAntibiotics, such as trimethoprim, and H2 blockers, such as cimetidine, can cause a temporary increase in measured serum creatinine levels.
A 2020 retrospective study found that even low levels of trimethoprim can increase blood serum levels in patients following a kidney transplant.