Doctor asked me to take Liver Function Test...?

Question

I recently had Liver Function Test. What are the reasons behind the test...Should i be worried...is this serious test.

Answer 1

the reason behind the test? it's to make sure your liver is functioning properly.....you have only one liver you know, and you cannot live without it, it makes sense that your doctor would want to know this if he is conscientious about your health. Have you been ill? Do you drink too much alcohol? Do you take medications which could impact liver function? There are numerous reasons, your best bet is to ask your doctor this question.

Answer 2

Some prescription meds, particularly those designed to lower cholesterol can cause liver damage. It is par for the course that the doctor would monitor your liver's function if you are currently taking these.

Answer 3

Serious--maybe, maybe not. Not really. Did you just start some new meds. Sometimes certain medicine can be hard on the liver and the doctor wants to check this out. I am thinking he is just checking to see if there is a change for some reason--without details as to why--I cannot say. Ask him or his nurse.

Answer 4

There are two types of tests that the doctor takes to determine how the liver is doing: the first one is known
as the liver enzymes (the name of them is ALT,AST, and
Alkaline phosphatase). These tests (ALT The next set of tests is known as the Liver Function Tests...
however, when they say this...this may include the above
tests also. This usually includes the Bilirubin, INR, and
Albumin tests.
Since Bilirubin is converted by the liver to a soluble form
before becoming part of the bile, and the INR will show
if the liver is able to make the factors it once did to help
the blood to clot, and the albumin is a protein made by
the liver that carries bilirubin and many other things through
the blood and also keeps the fluid inside our vessels....
if any of these functions are not right, it could be a sign
that the liver is not functioning well enough to keep the
body healthy like it once did.
Here is a link to explain further about these tests:
http://www.gastromd.com/lft.html

There are many causes and reasons why the doctor check
these tests. Some do it as routine, other do it because
you may be placed on a medication that requires it to be
checked (for example: statins to lower cholesterol levels) or
they may have examined you and felt a slight enlargement
of your liver and want to check to be sure. If they
suspect there may be a problem with the liver, if caught
early enough, they can treat the inflammation that may
have developed and the liver cells can heal. However,
if the inflammation progresses, it can be more serious...
like death of the liver cells which is known as cirrhosis.

There are many things that you can do to help yourself,
"If" they apply to you. (1) do not drink alcohol...alcohol
is the number one thing that causes liver disease
(2) be sure and tell your doctor all medications you are
on...whether over the counter, herbs, herbal teas, and
even other medications doctor have prescribed for you.
All medication are processed through the liver and
broken down before going to other parts of the body...
many are hard on the liver and have to be watched closely.
(3) stay clear of any chemicals that can be inhaled or on
the skin itself...especially carbon tetrachloride.
(4) if you find your enzymes and liver function tests are
high...be very careful being around others who are sick,
who have been sick, and who have been in contact with
others that are sick. Your liver will need time to heal and
coming down with something else is like a double whammy.
Liver patients are told to wash their hands frequently and
if they cannot, to carry with the a small bottle of purell,
germ X or other products to use. Stay clear of salad
bars, communal dips that others dip chips, vegetables, and
other things into.

There are many causes of liver disease: you have already
seen the ones above in the precautions...other are
(1)stones moving into the biliary area and blocking bile flow
which backs up into the liver.(2) autoimmune diseases that
twist the bile ducts or stricture them like primary biliary
cirrhosis or sclerosing cholangitis (3) Viral infections like
Hepatitis A, B, C, etc. (4) hereditary diseases where the
body is unable to regulate the amount of iron or copper in
the body. (5) mushroom poisonings (6) medications going
toxic in the body.

The doctor may just be testing you as a routine check...
The liver is a very quiet organ and does not complain if
there is anything wrong with it until it is unable to do the
functions it once did...this means that many patients
can be walking around with Hepatitis or liver diseases
like cirrhosis (where the death of cell occur) and not know it,
until they start to have symptoms like their whites of the
eyes turning yellow or skin looks yellow.(This is known
as Jaundice and can be seen more clearly outside in
natural light, as indoor light tends to mask it.)
If you want to know more about what to look for with
liver problems...here is a link:
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/cirrhosis/
Some people naturally have higher tests results, it depends
on what is considered normal for you. The doctor may
take more tests over a period of time just to be sure of
the results...since no blood test is 100% accurate, your
blood chemistry changes constantly, and there might
be a problem with how the test was taken to begin with.

If you would like to read more about any tests you may
have in the future...you are entitled to get a copy of your
lab results...here is a site where you can look them up
just by placing the name there...it isn't hard to understand
them.
http://www.labtestsonline.org

It is hard waiting for results, but I hope all your results will
turn out fine.

Answer 5

No its just to check things over!
Im 12 and I have to get one every six months because when i was little well younger then i am now (7) I got cancer so i survived ect... But now I have to get one to make sure everythigns ok and alot of people do! Its just checking to make sure you dont have like a shunned liver or hepatitis,
Everyone has to do it every few years!

Answer 6

Tests like this can help rule out things that the drs think are an unlikely possiblity but have to check for.

Answer 7

Dude - the Doctor is not the bogey-man. Call him/her up and ask the question directly - 'Doc - what are you looking for out of this test?'

Answer 8

Liver Function Tests
Liver function tests measure various chemicals in the blood made by the liver. An abnormal result indicates a problem with the liver, and may help to identify the cause. Further tests may be needed to clarify the cause of the liver problem.


What does the liver do?

The liver is in the upper right part of the abdomen. The functions of the liver include: storing glycogen (fuel for the body) which is made from sugars; helping to process fats and proteins from digested food; making proteins that are essential for blood to clot (clotting factors); processing many medicines which you may take; helping to remove poisons and toxins from the body.






The liver also makes bile. This is a greenish-yellow fluid that contains bile acids, bile pigments and waste products such as bilirubin. Liver cells pass bile into bile ducts inside the liver. The bile flows down these ducts into larger and larger ducts, eventually leading to the common bile duct. The gallbladder is like a 'cul-de-sac' reservoir of bile which comes off the common bile duct. After you eat, the gallbladder squeezes bile back into the common bile duct and down into the duodenum (the first part of the gut after the stomach). Bile in the gut helps to digest fats.

What are liver function tests?

As the liver performs it's various functions it makes a number of chemicals that pass into the bloodstream and bile. Various liver disorders alter the blood level of these chemicals. Some of these chemicals can be measured in a blood sample. Some tests that are commonly done on a blood sample are called 'LFTs' (liver function tests). These usually measure the following.

Alanine transaminase (ALT). This is an enzyme that helps to process proteins. (An enzyme is a protein that helps to speed up chemical reactions. Various enzymes occur in the cells in the body.) Large amounts of ALT occur in liver cells. When the liver is injured or inflamed (as in hepatitis), the blood level of ALT usually rises.
Alkaline phoshpatase (ALP). This enzyme occurs mainly in liver cells next to bile ducts, and in bone. The blood level is raised in some types of liver and bone disease.
Albumin. This is the main protein made by the liver, and it circulates in the bloodstream. The ability to make albumin (and other proteins) is affected in some types of liver disorder. A low level of blood albumin occurs in some liver disorders.
Total Protein. This measures albumin and all other proteins in blood.
Bilirubin. This chemical gives bile its yellow/green colour. A high level of bilirubin in your blood will make you jaundiced ('yellow'). Bilirubin is made from haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is a chemical in red blood cells that is released when the red blood cells break down. Liver cells take in bilirubin and attach sugar molecules to it. This is then called 'conjugated' bilirubin which is passed into the bile ducts.
A raised blood level of 'congugated' bilirubin occurs in various liver and bile duct conditions. It is particularly high if the flow of bile is blocked. For example, by a gallstone stuck in the common bile duct, or by a tumour in the pancreas. It can also be raised with hepatitis, liver injury, or long-term alcohol abuse.
A raised level of 'uncongugated' bilirubin occurs when there is excessive breakdown of red blood cells. For example, in haemolytic anaemia.
What are liver function tests used for?

To help diagnose liver disorders if you have suggestive symptoms (such as jaundice). The pattern of the blood results may help to say which disorder is causing the problem. For example, depending on which enzyme is highest it may point to a particular disorder.
To monitor the activity and severity of liver disorders.
As a routine precaution after starting certain medicines to check that they are not causing liver damage as a side-effect.
Other tests of the liver

Liver function tests are useful, and are often the first marker of disease in the liver. However, other tests of the liver may also be done to confirm the diagnosis of a particular disorder, and/or to monitor the activity of the disorder and response to treatment.

Other blood tests which may be done include:

Blood clotting tests. The liver makes many of the proteins needed to make blood clot. In certain liver disorders the liver cannot make enough of these proteins and so blood does not clot so well. Therefore, blood clotting tests may be used as a marker of the severity of certain liver disorders. (See separate leaflet called 'Blood Clotting Tests'.)
Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT or 'Gamma GT'). This is another enzyme that occurs in liver cells. A high level of this enzyme is particularly associated with heavy alcohol drinking. (The liver breaks down and clears alcohol from the body and this enzyme is involved in the process.)
Immunology. Blood tests may be done to detect:
viruses and antibodies to viruses. Various virus infections can cause hepatitis (inflammation of the liver). For example, hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus, etc.
auto-antibodies. These are antibodies which attack a part of your own body and occur in autoimmune disorders. The most common autoimmune disorders of the liver are:
primary biliary cirrhosis (associated with anti-mitochondrial antibodies).
autoimmune hepatitis (associated with smooth muscle antibodies).
primary sclerosing cholangitis (associated with antinuclear cytoplasmic antibodies).
Other types of protein in the blood can point to specific liver diseases. For example:
Ceruloplasmin is reduced in Wilson's disease.
Lack of 1-antitrypsin is an uncommon cause of cirrhosis.
A high level of ferritin is a marker of haemochromatosis.
Other tests such as liver biopsy, ultrasound scan, other types of scan, etc, may be needed to clarify the cause of a liver disorder, and/or to monitor its progress.