Liver enzymes Flashcards
what is a rise in ALT indicative of?
direct damage to hepatocytes & Liver
where is ALT released into? how can it be measured?
released into plasma, can be measured via blood test (specific to liver)
what will plasma ALT be raised?
viral hepatitis, ischaemia, hypoxic injuries
all direct damage to liver
what will AST be raised? (aspartate transaminase - transamination, oxaloacetate to aspartate)
released when hepatocytes injured, not specific to liver though, can be from cardiac & skeletal muscles as well
what does an increase in both ALT and AST mean?
hepatocyte injury
what does the AST:ALT ratio determine?
what is causing liver damage - but not reliable
what does AST:ALT >2 mean?
alcoholic liver disease
what does AST:ALT <1 mean?
viral course
where is ALP released from? is it specific to liver?
within bile canaliculi
not specific to liver
what does an increase in ALP mean? (Alkaline phosphatase)
increased when there is a blockage in the drainage of the biliary system due to stone in common bile duct, or intrahepatic cause
where is ALP released into?
plasma
when else is ALP increased aside from blockage in drainage of biliary system??
when direct damage to bile canaliculi
metastatic tumour inifltrating this area can also release ALP
in bones, bone disease / Paget’s disease
when is gamma GT (glutamyl transpeptidase) released?
enzyme increased in colicystic damage, if increase with ALP then confirm diagnosis
when else is gamma GT increased aside from colicystic damage?
alcoholic toxicity
what is albumin indicative of?
protein specifically produced by liver
decrease in albumin = liver not functioning properly
