Anonymous

What Is A High Liver Enzyme Count?

14

14 Answers

Hannah Barton Profile
Hannah Barton answered
A high liver enzyme count is in an indication of liver damage or injury.  A high liver enzyme count is over 40 units per liter of serum (the liquid part of the blood) for AST (SGOT) and over 56 units for ALT (SGPT).

Under normal circumstances, liver enzymes (proteins) live in the cells of the liver.  When the liver is damaged for any reason, the enzymes are spilled into the bloodstream.  The liver blood test detects the presence of the enzymes in the blood.  Aspartate aminotransferase (AST or SGOT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT) are the most sensitive and widely used enzymes.

While a high liver enzyme count indicates liver damage or injury from different types of disease, it does not necessarily mean that there is a liver problem.  There are other causes, such as muscle damage.  The liver count enzyme count has to be considered with an entire clinical evaluation.

The highest level of liver enzyme count is found with disorders that cause the death of the liver cells, such as acute viral hepatitis A or B.  Levels can reach thousands of units per liter.  Much more common are mild to moderate elevations.  Examples of causes include fatty liver (often caused by alcohol abuse) and chronic hepatitis C.  Some medications can cause abnormal liver enzymes levels.  Examples include pain relief medication such as ibuprofen and aspirin, anti-seizure medication such as phenytoin, antibiotics such as fluconazole and tetracyclines, cholesterol lowering drugs such as fluvastatin, cardiovascular drugs such as quinidine, and antidepressant drugs of the tricyclic type.  If caused by medication, the count usually normalizes within weeks of stopping the medication.

Other tests may also be used to confirm the diagnosis of a disorder or to monitor the activity.  These include blood clotting tests, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT or gamma GT) and immunology.  The latter identifies viruses, antibodies and auto-antibodies.  A biopsy and/or ultrasound scan may also be needed.

You should consult your doctor for professional medical advice.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
My ASP is 360 and ALT is 253...  I know they are high and had a ultrasound done in April when they were 133 and 131.  I had a slightly fatty liver...  So does this mean I've gotten really worse and gotten to the next stage??
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
My liver count is 55 what does it mean
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I only know that my 25 year old daughter was healthy and within 12 hours of visiting the ER and getting lab work done her ALT and AST started over 3,000 and went to almost 12,000. She was put on a STAT transplant list immediately. She had acute liver failure. She lost 60% of her liver function in 12 hours. We are thankful and praising the Lord that it stopped at that percentage and she did not have to have the liver transplant. We were told it can take 6 weeks to a year to regenerate a new liver. No reason has been found from the lab work to explain why she suddenly had the acute liver failure. Just learned to be thankful for each day..
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
Is 106 a high liver enzyme count
thanked the writer.
Anonymous
Anonymous commented
I would toask if 190 to high and getting higher
what is to high in pain with 190 can it go higher and how high
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
There are 2 numbers and normally they should be below 40. Mine were both over 100. My doctor wrote a script for a Hep B and C test which both came back negative. I own a bar and drink only when I am there 3-4 days a week. This might have raised the liver enzyme count, anyway I am painfully abstaining from alcohol for 3 more weeks, one week down!
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
How high does the count of the enzymes of the liver need to be before a person is eligible for a liver transplant?
Akshay Kalbag Profile
Akshay Kalbag answered
A high liver enzyme count is an important sign that a person is suffering from a disease which affects the liver, such as jaundice and hepatitis-B. If the tissues in the organs of the body of a patient, such as the tissues in the liver, the heart, the kidneys, the pancreas and the muscles, are damaged, the patient is likely to have a higher count of liver enzymes.

There are various types of enzymes in the liver of the human body, such as the serum glutamic-oxalocetic transaminase-AST (which is abbreviated as the SGOT or the AST), the serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase-ALT (which is abbreviated as the SGPT or the ALT), the alkaline phosphatase, the gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (which is abbreviated as the GGT), the lactic acid dehydrogenase (which is abbreviated as the LDH), the bilirubin, total, the blood urea nitrogen (which is abbreviated as the BUN), the creatinine and the uric acid.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
My 18 year old daughter is in the hospital now. Two of her liver counts are 7000 and another is 10,800. They think maybe viral hep???? She had pancreatitis and gall bladder out Dec- Feb.
Cosmo Chessher Profile
Cosmo Chessher answered
Enzymes produced by the liver can be determined by a blood test called CMP (Complete Metabolic Profile). High levels of certain enzymes can mean something is failing in the liver. Consumption of alcohol is well known to raise liver enzyme levels and damage the liver. The first stage of damage is called a "fatty liver."
For a complete list of liver functions and tests, go to www.answers.com
dawn j Profile
dawn j answered
I recently got out of the hospitol, I had attempted suicide,  and two days after I took the pills, when I was taken in to the emergency room my liver enzimes were over 7000 . I was in icu for quite awhile, when I left they were still around 1000 , its been two weeks now, I have to go back to get them checked again to see where I am at.
So if someone all of a sudden comes up with a count like this for some unknowen reason , find out if they tried to do what I attempted. So they can get help.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
Recently my doctor told me my liver enzymes were highly elevated (level over 101.) he ordered hepatic panel 80076 from lab. I don't drink,do street drugs.  However I was on cymbalta for over 4 years for depression.  I then discover when I had my gallbladder removed that the side effects of the drug are liver problems and possible liver failure.  I had my gallbladder removed 2 years ago.  I have been diagnosed with insufficient adrenal disease.  My doctor asked me if I had been checked for hepatic.  I would think that that would show up in blood work during my hospital stay in november 2008.  What else could it possibly be.  My abdomen is extremely sensitive even to the touch.  However it could be my adrenal glands or the cy ste on my right ovary. He ordered hepatic panel 80076.

Answer Question

Anonymous