What to do when liver enzymes are high?

This is an automatically translated article.

Posted by Doctor Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital

Liver enzymes are an enzyme in liver cells, it has the function of helping the liver remove toxins. There is always a certain amount of liver enzymes in the blood. High liver enzymes signal the weakening and dysfunction of the liver in the body.

1.What causes elevated liver enzymes? The liver is one of the important internal organs of the body, not only helping to metabolize and break down nutrients after being absorbed by the small intestine, but also to purify and remove toxic substances from the body. outside the environment.
In that process, liver enzymes act as a chemical that helps liver cells perform their synthesis and metabolism. These enzymes can have many different types such as AST , LDH , ALT , GGT , ... In the normal state of the body, the concentration of these enzymes will fluctuate within a certain range. If these indicators exceed the allowable level, it is called high liver enzymes.
Alanine aminotransferase - ALT (also known as serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase - SGPT), and aspartate aminotransferase - AST (also known as serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase - SGOT): These two enzymes belong to the group of transaminases (also known as aminotransferases). . The transaminase group includes intracellular enzymes, present in the cells of many different organs, in which alanine aminotransferase is most abundant in liver cells (in addition, it is also present in kidney and skeletal muscle cells), and aspartate aminotransferase found in liver cells, skeletal muscle cells, cardiac muscle, red blood cells, pancreas, lung and brain.


Alanine aminotransferase xuất hiện trong tế bào gan
Alanine aminotransferase xuất hiện trong tế bào gan

Alkaline phosphatase - AP (alkaline phosphatase): Alkaline phosphatase belongs to the group of enzymes involved in zinc metabolism, which is considered an indicator of cholestatic liver injury. Alkaline phosphatase is present in the biliary tract and hepatic vascular sinuses, and is also present in the bones, kidneys, intestines and placenta. Gamma glutamine transpeptidase - GGT (or abbreviated as γ - GT, Gamma GT): Gamma glutamin transpeptidase belongs to the group of glyco-membrane protein complex structures, responsible for catalyzing, converting gamma glutamyl groups into peptide and amino chains. acid and water. Compared with many other enzymes, the sensitivity of gamma glutamine transpeptidase is very high, changes in the concentration of gamma glutamine transpeptidase in the blood manifest very early. Gamma glutamine transpeptidase is present in the liver (including the endothelial network of biliary cells), kidney, pancreas, intestine, and prostate, so gamma glutamine transpeptidase is also valuable when evaluating cholestatic injury (although although not specific for alkaline phosphatase).

There are many different causes leading to an increase in liver enzymes but in which hepatitis is the main cause. Elevated levels of liver enzymes are normally proportional to the degree of breakdown of liver cells (hepatitis). Some common causes of elevated liver enzymes include liver and extrahepatic causes such as:
Acute hepatitis due to any cause causes liver enzymes to increase, especially very high, 7-8 times times or more. Advanced chronic hepatitis, toxic hepatitis, malnutrition, liver cancer. Biliary obstruction due to worms, stones; pancreatitis, intestinal obstruction, acute gastritis... also increase liver enzymes, but not as much as in hepatitis.


Viêm tụy có thể là nguyên nhân gây tăng men gan
Viêm tụy có thể là nguyên nhân gây tăng men gan

Infectious diseases such as malaria, measles, dengue fever, sepsis... in the full stage also increase liver enzymes. In addition, there are many other chronic diseases or due to drug treatment, irregular diet, drinking a lot of alcohol also change liver enzymes compared to normal. 2. What does elevated liver enzymes mean? When liver enzymes are high in the early stages, symptoms are less noticeable and not prominent. Therefore, patients will be easily confused with common diseases, leading to delay in treatment. From there, the disease will silently progress.
Diseases related to high liver enzymes and complications are often serious diseases, long treatment times and very expensive costs. Even if the condition is treated and stabilized, health will be affected.
High liver enzymes signal weakness, liver dysfunction in the body. When the amount of liver enzymes increased slightly, health was not affected much. But if left for a long time, the liver will be infected and have complications (cirrhosis, liver cancer, even death...).

Trắc nghiệm: Làm thế nào để bảo vệ lá gan khỏe mạnh?

Làm test trắc nghiệm kiểm tra hiểu biết về gan có thể giúp bạn nhận thức rõ vai trò quan trọng của gan, từ đó có các biện pháp bảo vệ gan để phòng ngừa bệnh tật.

3. When liver enzymes are elevated, what to do?

There are many causes of elevated liver enzymes.
If long-term elevation of liver enzymes has serious consequences, finding the cause helps in effective treatment and avoids complications. But finding the cause of elevated liver enzymes and treatment is often not simple, so if detected elevated liver enzymes, the patient should see a hepatologist to determine the cause, treatment and advice.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has Hepatobiliary Screening packages, which help detect Hepatitis Virus at an early stage even when there are no symptoms. In addition, the Comprehensive Hepatobiliary Screening Package helps customers:


Khám gan mật tại Vinmec cùng với những chuyên gia đầu ngành
Khám gan mật tại Vinmec cùng với những chuyên gia đầu ngành

Evaluation of the liver's ability to work through liver enzyme tests; Evaluation of bile function; vascular nutrition; Early screening for liver cancer; Perform tests such as Total blood cell analysis, blood clotting ability, screening for hepatitis B, C Assessment of liver and biliary status through ultrasound images and diseases that are at risk of affecting liver disease / liver disease. more severe liver disease In-depth analysis of parameters to evaluate hepatobiliary function through laboratory and subclinical tests; risks affecting the liver and early screening for hepatobiliary cancer To register for examination and treatment of hepatobiliary diseases at Vinmec International General Hospital, you can contact Vinmec Health System nationwide, or register online HERE.

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