Hello! I work as a doctor for 21 years. My name is George O. Sapego. This article will talk about why increased amylase in blood.
Many people think that blood amylase increased only in acute pancreatitis. In fact, there are still many other reasons.
Amylase is produced in different places in our body, and it can be displayed at a different rate from the blood. For example, people with kidney failure amylase appears slower. All this affects the results of the analysis.
Amylase can be produced not only in the pancreas. Alcoholics salivary glands produce a lot of amylase. Conventional tests do not distinguish between these two types of enzymes.
Sometimes a person may have acute pancreatitis, but amylase activity is low. This happens with pancreatitis, which was triggered by high levels of triglycerides in the blood or alcohol.
Amylase word derived from the Greek "starch". Because it cleaves starch into smaller chain.
The level of amylase in the blood are measured in international units. In different laboratories amylase rules may be different.
Makroamilaza
It happens that the amylase in the blood is associated with some large molecules - with immunoglobulins, or polysaccharides. This connection is too big and slowly excreted by the kidneys. Therefore, the analysis will show an increase in blood levels of amylase. This happens when some chronic diseases such as celiac disease, HIV infection, lymphoma, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid colitis.
The reasons for the increase of amylase
There is a large list of different diseases and an even bigger list of medicines that can increase amylase levels.
Examples of such diseases and conditions:
- pancreatitis;
- pancreas tumor;
- infection of the salivary glands;
- appendicitis;
- cholecystitis;
- liver disease;
- severe gastroenteritis;
- and stopped ectopic pregnancy;
- ovarian cysts, and uterine tubes;
- tumors of the ovaries, prostate, esophagus;
- alcoholism;
- burns;
- myocardial infarction;
- head injury.
Usually the amylase rises somewhere in the two times higher than normal. The norms are different in different laboratories.
Most often the reason for increase of amylase - is acute pancreatitis. Only to be suspected pancreatitis should be typical abdominal pain and some research like tomography, when seen changes in the pancreas itself.
Hardest amylase increased if the pancreatitis was caused by the stones of the biliary tract. Least amylase increases if pancreatitis from alcohol or triglycerides.
What makes the analysis of
First, think long. If a person does not care, then start looking for all sorts of other reasons listed above.
Secondly, it is necessary to repeat the test. This is not the case when people repeat any tests in the hope that the results will be normal. Not. With amylase just such an approach is needed. Humans without pancreatitis, amylase levels will vary throughout the day. Fluctuations in the level of amylase in the blood usually indicate that something is too terrible.
lipase
Yet to confirm the diagnosis of pancreatitis determine the level of lipase in the blood. Lipase - an enzyme that breaks down fats. We talked about it in the story of poor absorption of food. You can find this article at the link below.
So lipase produced in the same place in the pancreas and also increases blood pancreatitis. Some experts even say that it is better to focus on the level of lipase in the blood.
After all these adventures, if a person is not too strong a stomach ache, it will do an MRI or computed tomography of the abdomen, to find signs of pancreatitis. And even then it is not always clear.
What conclusion do not currently tests without a prescription. If you decide that you have pancreatitis, it is better to consult a specialist. Because normally examine human pancreatitis is possible only in a hospital. Independently you make a mistake, lose a lot of money and time. If seriously ill, then call an ambulance.
If you liked this article, then put the Huskies and subscribe to my channel. Read my articles on related topics:
Chronic pancreatitis
Why is poorly absorbed food
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