Liver Function Tests Flashcards
What is AST?
Aspartate aminotransferase
Where is AST normally found?
- Liver
- Heart
- Kidneys
- Skeletal muscle
- Red blood cells
At what level would AST normally be found in the blood?
Low levels
How long would AST levels take to become elevated and how long would the levels remain high?
It takes 6-10 hours for them to rise
They stay this way for 4 hours
What may cause raised AST levels?
10-20 times normal - MI, alcoholic cirrhosis
20 times normal - viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, drugs
What is ALT?
Alanine aminotransferase
Where is ALT normally found?
Mostly in the liver
(also kidneys and heart)
How do ALT levels vary between adults anch children?
Children normally have levels twice as high as adults
ALT levels vary throughout the day
True or false?
True
High levels of ALT in the blood are specific for what?
Liver damage
Levels 50 times higher than normal for ALT are indicative of what?
Viral or drug hepatitis
What is ALP?
Alkaline phosphotase
Where is ALP normally found?
- In hepatocytes lining the hepatic duct
- Bone
- Intestines
- Placenta
When with ALP levels be high?
When there is a raised bone turnover rate, such as during adolescence, during fractures, in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and if bony metastases is present
It is also associated with liver disease
In terms of the liver, what may high levels of ALP signify?
A blockage in the bile duct
