This is a noncancer benign condition marked by having a substance called macroamylase in your blood. Your levels may also be higher after a pancreatic procedure such as a cholangiopancreatography. They may also be higher after surgery or trauma.
The test requires a blood sample, which is drawn through a needle from a vein in your arm. Taking a blood sample with a needle carries risks that include bleeding, infection, bruising, or feeling dizzy. When the needle pricks your arm, you may feel a slight stinging sensation or pain. Afterward, the site may be slightly sore. Certain medicines such as aspirin, medicines that contain estrogen, and pain relievers like morphine may affect your test results. Alcohol use can also affect your results.
Pregnancy and having had a recent kidney transplant can also affect your results. You don't need to prepare for this test. But be sure your healthcare provider knows about all medicines, herbs, vitamins, and supplements you are taking.
This includes medicines that don't need a prescription and any illicit drugs you may use. Lipase helps your body digest fats. The pancreas is a glandular organ that sits behind the stomach and produces digestive juices that empty into the small intestine. The pancreas also produces both amylase and lipase, as well as many other enzymes.
Inflammation of the pancreas, also called pancreatitis, commonly causes high levels of amylase and lipase in the bloodstream. Learn more about acute pancreatitis here. Amylase and lipase tests are used to detect pancreatitis. The tests measure the amount of these enzymes circulating in your bloodstream. These enzymes are typically checked when you have symptoms of acute pancreatitis or another pancreatic disorder and your doctor wants to confirm the diagnosis. There are also many other potential causes of abdominal pain.
Other causes include appendicitis, ectopic pregnancy in women, and intestinal blockage, among others. Checking amylase and lipase levels is important to help determine if the cause of these symptoms is pancreatitis, or something else. Enzymes are proteins produced by the body to do a particular job. The pancreas produces amylase to break down carbohydrates in food into simple sugars.
The pancreas makes lipase to digest fats into fatty acids. Sugars and fatty acids can then be absorbed by the small intestine. Some amylase and lipase can be found in saliva and in the stomach. However, most of the enzymes made in the pancreas are released into the small intestine. When the pancreas is damaged, these digestive enzymes can be found in the blood at higher levels than normal.
Amylase or lipase results more than three times normal levels are likely to mean pancreatitis or damage to your pancreas. However, in rare cases, there can be significant damage to the pancreas without abnormal amylase or lipase levels. In these cases, abdominal pain is the most common symptom. Early in the course of damage to the pancreas, amylase or lipase levels may be also be normal.
There are many reasons why someone might have abnormal levels of amylase in their blood. These include:. Lower than normal levels of amylase may indicate severe injury to the pancreas, high triglycerides , prediabetes, or diabetes. There are some medications that can increase the amount of amylase in your blood without any illness present :.
Drugs that may affect the levels of lipase in your bloodstream are the same ones known to affect the levels of amylase. However, abnormal amylase levels can also be a sign of many other conditions.
An amylase blood test is a routine blood test that generally requires no specific preparation. As some medications can interfere with the results, a doctor may advise temporarily stopping these before the test. Cholecystitis is an inflammation of the gallbladder that usually occurs due to a gallstone getting stuck in the opening. It can be acute or chronic…. What are the symptoms of peptic ulcers? Find out here along with information on the most common causes and effective treatments for peptic ulcers.
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It can also cause inflammation and develop into stomach flu. What is an amylase blood test? Medically reviewed by J. Keith Fisher, M. When is it used? Preparation What to expect? Share on Pinterest An amylase test requires a blood sample. Share on Pinterest Some medication may affect amylase levels. How to prepare. What to expect? What is the normal range?
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