Why is elevated liver enzymes a sign of cirrhosis or liver cancer?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Le Thien Quang - Internal Oncologist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International Hospital
Liver enzymes are important biological catalysts in the body's metabolism. High liver enzymes are the most obvious sign that your liver cells are damaged, this is a sign of dangerous diseases such as acute hepatitis, active chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, biliary obstruction. , Liver Cancer...

1. What is elevated liver enzymes?

High liver enzymes are liver cells that are being destroyed by a certain agent. The higher the liver enzymes, the more severe the damage to the liver. Elevated liver enzymes are common in people with hepatitis or other liver diseases caused by taking certain drugs that increase liver enzymes, and people who are addicted to alcohol. Elevated liver enzymes are classified into 3 levels:
Mild: Elevated liver enzymes < 5 times higher than normal. Moderate level: Liver enzyme index is elevated ~ 5-10 times higher than normal. Severe degree: Liver enzyme index is >10 times higher than normal level. There are many different causes of high liver enzymes such as: hepatitis, high liver enzymes due to alcohol, high liver enzymes due to viruses, malaria, biliary tract disease... In which alcohol is the main cause of enzyme status. high liver.

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.

2. Why is high liver enzymes a sign of cirrhosis, liver cancer?

The liver is the body's detoxification organ. It is considered the main factory of alcohol metabolism and the major target organ of alcoholic injury. All toxins that enter the body are processed by the liver. Characteristic biochemical findings include very elevated GGT and an AST/ALT ratio > 2 with AST < 8 times upper limit of normal and ALT < 5 upper limit of normal. High levels of liver enzymes in people who drink alcohol depend on the dose and quality of alcohol and beer. Normally, when the liver enzyme level is high due to alcohol, the AST type is usually 2-10 times higher while the ALT level increases slightly.
At this stage, if you abuse alcohol a lot, it is very dangerous because the content of acetaldehyde is a poison produced when using alcohol, which will destroy liver cells very strongly. When liver cells are destroyed mass causing acute hepatitis, liver coma, life-threatening. On the other hand, high liver enzymes, if left untreated, will lead to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer.

Men gan cao là dấu hiệu của bệnh xơ gan, ung thư gan
Men gan cao là dấu hiệu của bệnh xơ gan, ung thư gan

3. How dangerous is high liver enzymes?

If not diagnosed and treated in time, long-term high liver enzymes will leave many dangerous consequences such as:
High liver enzymes reduce life expectancy: With AST doubled, the risk will increase by 32%. death, and if the value is more than doubled, the risk of death increases to 78%. With ALT value doubled, the risk of death was increased by 21%, and when the value more than doubled, the risk of death was 59%. Long-term and untreated high liver enzymes will cause cirrhosis, liver tumors... High liver enzymes are a warning sign of dangerous diseases such as hepatitis, myositis, chronic kidney disease, cholecystitis. , myocardial infarction, epilepsy... The initial symptoms of elevated liver enzymes are quite poor. Patients may feel headache, fatigue, jaundice, abdominal bloating... In the case of high liver enzymes due to acute liver diseases will appear more typical symptoms such as hives, itching, confusion. dyspepsia, vomiting, abdominal pain. Therefore, it is necessary to actively visit reputable medical facilities for timely diagnosis and treatment, to avoid dangerous complications.

Các triệu chứng ban đầu của men gan cao khá nghèo nàn
Các triệu chứng ban đầu của men gan cao khá nghèo nàn

4. Treatment of high liver enzymes

The diagnosis and treatment of high liver enzymes need to be based on the cause and mechanism of the disease to give an appropriate treatment.
If the cause of high liver enzymes is viral hepatitis, it is necessary to treat with antiviral drugs, lower liver enzymes and protect the liver. If the cause of high liver enzymes is due to drinking a lot of alcohol, it is necessary to immediately stop using alcohol, do not smoke. At the same time, patients with high liver enzymes should maintain a reasonable diet, increase fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly, and improve their physical condition. Currently, on the market, there are many natural medicinal herbs that have the effect of supporting the recovery and protection of the liver, which are used by many people because of their effectiveness and safety. However, many people, due to lack of knowledge, have used medicinal herbs to treat high liver enzymes of unknown origin, effectiveness has not been proven, leading to overdose, not guaranteeing the effect, making the disease worse. .
At Vinmec International General Hospital, there is a BILITARY SCREEN package that helps customers evaluate the liver's working ability through liver enzyme tests; Early screening for liver cancer and hepatobiliary diseases... From here, it is possible to detect liver diseases early to have a timely treatment plan, bringing the best results to the patient's health.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

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