What Does Having Slightly Elevated Liver Enzymes Mean?

Elevated liver enzymes, ALT (SGPT) and AST (SGOT), are commonly used in laboratory investigations. Mild to moderate elevations in these enzymes often indicate inflammation within the liver, as inflamed or damaged liver cells leak higher levels of certain chemicals into the bloodstream. These enzymes may appear higher than usual on blood tests and may be temporary or a sign of a medical condition like hepatitis or liver disease. Common causes include fatty liver disease and cirrhosis.

Inflamed liver cells can leak higher levels of liver enzymes into the bloodstream, with symptoms often being mild and short-term. Elevated liver enzymes can indicate a medical condition causing inflammation, injury, or damage to the liver. Patients with predominantly aminotransferase elevations are thought to have acute or chronic hepatitis from various causes.

ALT and AST are liver enzymes produced by the liver, and high levels of ALT and AST in the blood may indicate liver disease. The most common causes of elevated transaminase levels are nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and alcoholic liver disease. Elevated liver enzymes often indicate inflamed or damaged cells in the liver, leaking higher levels of certain chemicals into the bloodstream.

What can falsely elevate liver enzymes?

Common causes of elevated liver enzymes include: Nonprescription pain medicines, particularly acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Certain prescription medicines, including statins, which are used to control cholesterol. Drinking alcohol.

What if my blood test is slightly out of range?

Ask patient to repeat test Small fluctuations in test results are common and slightly abnormal results usually return to normal without the need for treatment. The GP would like to check your result has returned to normal or remained stable. We will tell you how long you should wait before rechecking your blood test.

Discussed with patient or Patient informed The doctor has already discussed this result with you.

Seen and dealt with The doctor has already seen you and has dealt with any issues that arose.

Why is my ALT high but everything else normal?

High levels of ALT in your blood may be a sign of a liver injury or disease. Some types of liver disease cause high ALT levels before you have symptoms of the disease. So, an ALT blood test may help diagnose certain liver diseases early.

What is an ALT Blood Test?. An ALT test measures the amount of ALT in your blood. This test is commonly used to help diagnose liver damage or disease.

ALT (alanine transaminase) is an enzyme, a protein that speeds up certain chemical reactions in your body. It is found mainly in your liver. Usually, you will have low levels of ALT in your blood. But when liver cells are damaged, they release ALT into the bloodstream. High levels of ALT in your blood may be a sign of a liver injury or disease. Some types of liver disease cause high ALT levels even before you have symptoms of the disease. So, an ALT blood test may help diagnose certain liver diseases early, when they may be easier to treat.

An ALT test is usually ordered as part of a group of liver function tests.

What is slightly abnormal liver results?

In many cases, a single, isolated, slightly abnormal liver function test in a well patient will not signify an underlying problem. However, some liver disorders, including early signs of overuse of alcohol, can produce slight changes (especially at first), so it’s important to be sure.

Your doctor will want to do further liver tests and to see, question and examine you, to determine the reason for the blood test abnormality. If you are otherwise well, this will initially be done in primary care. Options include:

Further blood tests in order to discover or rule out particular causes.

What do slightly elevated liver enzymes mean?

What does it mean to have elevated liver enzymes?. If you have high levels of liver enzymes in your blood, you have elevated liver enzymes. High liver enzyme levels may be temporary, or they may be a sign of a medical condition like hepatitis or liver disease. Certain medications can also cause elevated liver enzymes.

What are liver enzymes?. Liver enzymes are proteins that speed up chemical reactions in your body. These chemical reactions include producing bile and substances that help your blood clot, breaking down food and toxins, and fighting infection. Common liver enzymes include:

• Alkaline phosphatase (ALP).
• Alanine transaminase (ALT).
• Aspartate transaminase (AST).
• Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT).

Can mildly elevated liver enzymes go back to normal?

The treatment for elevated liver enzymes depends on the cause. In many cases, liver enzyme levels return to normal on their own within about a month. You might need to switch medications, stop taking a supplement, or cut back on drinking if you drink, but you will not need a treatment plan.

In other cases, your doctor might need to treat the condition that’s raising your liver enzyme levels. They might order more tests, such as imaging tests, to get a better look at your liver or blood tests. They might also order a liver biopsy. Depending on your results, you might be referred to a specialist. Treatment will depend on your final diagnosis.

If you’re concerned your liver enzyme levels might be elevated, you might consider making some lifestyle changes at home, such as:

What is stage 1 liver failure?

Four stages of liver failure define the progression of the disease:

• Stage 1: Inflammation. Patients may not have any symptoms at this stage, but some people may have tenderness on the right side of their abdomen. Elevated liver enzymes can be a sign of liver inflammation.
• Stage 2: Fibrosis/scarring. Liver scars can form as a result of longstanding inflammation. The scarring can worsen over time if the cause of liver damage is not treated.
• Stage 3: Cirrhosis. In cirrhosis, scarring in the liver has become more extensive. Liver function may be normal at this stage, but close monitoring for complications such as liver failure and liver cancer are needed. Liver transplant evaluation may be discussed at this stage.
• Stage 4: End-stage liver failure. At this stage, the body is suffering from multiple conditions, including fluid in the abdomen, internal bleeding, impaired kidney function, and confusion due to the liver not effectively filtering the blood. Liver transplant evaluation should be performed at this stage.

The symptoms of liver failure are often similar to those of other conditions, making it difficult to diagnose. The symptoms can also be different depending on the type of liver failure.

The liver specialists at NewYork-Presbyterian are experts in treating the symptoms of all types and stages of liver failure.

Can you drink with slightly elevated liver enzymes?

Conclusions. In conclusion, a small amount of alcohol intake was associated with increased liver-related and all-cause mortality among individuals with elevated ALT levels. Subjects with elevated ALT levels should be advised complete abstinence from alcohol, as even a small amount of alcohol intake may be harmful for them.

Availability of data and materials. We used the claim data provided by the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database. Data can only be accessed by visiting the NHIS datacenter, after approval from data access committee of NHIS ( nhiss. nhis. or. kr/bd/ab/bdaba001cv. do ). This research was conducted using the application number NHIS-2019-2-034.

The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

What is an alarming ALT level?

An ALT test result of >100 IU/l is a clear indicator of serious liver disease, but a mildly elevated ALT result (30–100 IU/l) is often ascribed to the use of medication (for example statins) or alcohol, obesity, or, for lower ALT levels (<50 IU/l), considered as part of the normal distribution of test results.

Background. Hepatitis C (HCV) and hepatitis B (HBV) virus infection can lead to serious complications if left untreated, but often remain undetected in primary care. Mild alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevations (30–100 IU/l) are commonly found and could be associated with viral hepatitis; unfortunately, these findings frequently remain without follow-up.

Aim. To determine if and how mild ALT elevation can be used to identify hidden HCV and HBV infection in primary care.

Design and setting. Primary care patients referred for liver enzyme testing were selected by a large primary care Diagnostic Centre (Saltro).

How do you treat slightly elevated liver enzymes?

How is it treated? It depends on what is causing your liver enzymes to be elevated. If your doctor thinks you have NAFLD, you will need to make lifestyle changes. These changes include eating a healthier diet, exercising, losing weight, and limiting alcohol and sugary foods and drinks.

The liver releases several substances when it is injured. Two of these substances are enzymes called alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST).

There are many causes of mildly elevated ALT and AST levels. The most common causes are nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcoholic liver disease. In NAFLD, the liver has more fatty tissue in it than normal. Regular or heavy alcohol use can also hurt the liver and increase liver enzymes. Other medical conditions can increase liver enzymes, like hepatitis B or C and a condition that runs in families called hemochromatosis. Using certain medicines and over-the-counter supplements can also increase liver enzymes.

People with mild elevations in liver enzymes usually do not have symptoms.

Is your liver OK if your liver enzymes are normal?

Results of liver enzyme tests. Low level of liver enzymes in blood:. Usually, this means the liver is healthy. However, a patient may have normal liver enzymes levels but still have liver damage.

Higher than normal level of liver enzymes in blood:. This can mean the liver is unhealthy. Patients also can have higher than normal liver enzyme levels related to problems in other organs, such as their bile ducts.