What does alk phos indicate?
ALP is an enzyme found throughout the body, but it is mostly found in the liver, bones, kidneys, and digestive system. When the liver is damaged, ALP may leak into the bloodstream. High levels of ALP can indicate liver disease or bone disorders.
What does it mean when your alk phos is high?
Higher-than-normal levels of ALP in your blood may indicate a problem with your liver or gallbladder. This could include hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver cancer, gallstones, or a blockage in your bile ducts.
What infections cause high alkaline phosphatase?
Extremely high elevations of alkaline phosphatase are most frequently seen in patients with sepsis, malignant obstruction, and AIDS. Patients with sepsis can have an extremely high alkaline phosphatase level and a normal bilirubin.
How high is too high for alkaline phosphatase?
The normal range of alkaline phosphatase in the blood is 20 to 140U/L, although this can vary from lab to lab. Children and pregnant women can have significantly higher levels of the enzyme in their blood [1]. Values above 130 U/L are usually considered to be high.
Is alkaline phosphatase 119 high?
The ALP level in healthy adults should be 20–140 units per liter (U/L) . Children tend to have significantly higher levels of ALP than adults because their bones are still growing.
What causes high Alk Phos?
High alk. Phos can be caused by any/many liver disorders from any cause including hepatitis, obstruction of the bile due to stone or tumor.
What causes elevated alkaline phosphatase lab?
Elevated alkaline phosphatase is most commonly caused by liver disease or bone disorders. Testing for ALP primarily consists of obtaining a blood sample from a patient along with several other tests for the disorder in question that may be associated with the increase in ALP in the blood serum.
What does it mean high Alk Phos?
High alkaline phosphatase levels may mean there is damage to your liver or that you have a type of bone disorder. Liver damage creates a different type of ALP than bone disorders do. If the test results show high alkaline phosphatase levels, your health care provider may order additional tests to find out where the extra ALP is coming from.
What does a high ALK phosphatase mean?
High alkaline phosphatase levels can be associated with various liver diseases such as as hepatic cancer, cirrhosis, fatty liver and hepatitis. Doctors will usually run a liver panel blood test– also called a hepatic function test. By looking at a variety of liver enzymes, doctors can assess liver function.