Clinical Approach to the Hepatobiliary Patient: Elevated Liver Enzymes and Jaundice Flashcards
1
Q
what is primarily elevated in hepatocellular disease?
A
AST/ALT
2
Q
what is primarily elevated in cholestatic disease?
A
alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin
3
Q
why is ALT more specific to liver injury than AST?
A
because AST is also found in striated muscle and other organs
4
Q
what is the single best acute measure of hepatic synthetic function?
A
coagulation factors
5
Q
what does the albumin test show?
A
in acute hepatic dysfunction, nothing really; in patients with chronic liver disease, degree of hypoalbuminemia correlates with severity of liver dysfunction
6
Q
what are two general causes of unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia?
A
hemolysis and Gilbert syndrome
7
Q
what labs identify hemolysis?
A
haptoglobin (low), reticulocyte count (high), and LDH (high)
