AN OVERVIEW
Why Would We Require A Lipase Test?
A lipase test is required to know if you are having acute abdominal pain and your doctor suspects that you may have acute pancreatitis which is an inflammation of the pancreas that causes dire abdominal pain. The signs of pancreas inflammation include-
- Fever
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Severe back pain or abdominal pain
- Diarrhoea
In case you are already diagnosed with acute pancreatitis the test can be used to monitor your current condition of acute (severe and sudden) or chronic (ongoing) pancreatitis. With the help of a lipase test, your doctor will be able to find out if the lipase level in your blood is increasing or decreasing. The test can also determine if the ongoing treatment and medications are performing appropriately or not.
Oftentimes lipase tests are used to monitor other conditions of the body, which include:
- Pancreatic cyst
- Inflammation of the digestive tract of the human body is also known as Crohns disease.
- Inflammation of the lining of our inner abdominal wall is also known as Peritonitis.
- Infarcted or Strangulated Bowel (restricted blood supply of bowel).
- Celiac disease (which is activated by gluten and in this disease our immunity system attacks our small intestine).
How To Prepare For The Lipase Test?
If you have scheduled lipase tests ahead of time then you need to fast for a significant amount of time before the test. For 8 to 12 hours prior to the test, you will be asked to stop eating and drinking anything other than water.
Your physician may also ask you to stop some of your medication that can directly or indirectly affect the results. Make sure your doctor knows all of your prescribed medications, supplements and over-the-counter medications you are consuming.
Some common medications that can affect the result of lipase tests are:
- Codeine
- Birth control pills
- Thiazide diuretics
- Morphine
Risks/Side Effects Involving The Lipase Tests
There is no risk or side effect as such in the lipase test. A simple blood test is conducted for it. Most likely, the lab experts, who will conduct the test, will put a tight rubber band around the patient’s upper arm, which makes it easier for the phlebotomists to find the veins.
A needle will be inserted in one of the patient’s veins and when enough blood has been collected in the syringe, the rubber band will go off and the phlebotomist will take out the needle while putting a bandage on the place from where the needle has been withdrawn.
A slight sting or pain may be felt by you when the blood will be drawn. The issue involved while drawing out the blood is very minor such as-
- Dizziness
- Slight pain
- Infection
- Rare chance of fainting
- Bruising
- Swelling and redness
Also, most symptoms pass away very quickly.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FAQs
What are the conditions that can elevate the levels of lipase in blood?
The lipase levels in the blood usually get elevated during acute pancreatitis. Nevertheless, elevated lipase levels can also be found in medical conditions such as bowel problems, kidney failure and cirrhosis.
What are the symptoms of pancreatitis?
The general symptoms of pancreatitis are fat in stool, loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain after eating, vomiting or nausea, faster heart rate, abdominal pain radiating around the back, etc.
What are the drugs that cause high lipase levels?
The names of medicines or drugs that can induce high lipase levels or hyperlipidemia are codeine, narcotics, Birth control pills, adrenocorticotropic hormones and thiazide diuretics.
THINGS TO KNOW AFTER GETTING TESTED
Interpreting Vitamin Lipase Test Results
If the level of lipase in your blood is very high(200 U/L), it indicates that you may have a medical condition which is affecting your pancreas. Anyone from age 16 and above can have 13 to 63 units of lipase per litre of blood. Nevertheless, the doctors can find out the exact level of the lipase in your blood after going through your test report.
In the case of acute pancreatitis, the level of lipase in the blood remains 5 to 10 times higher than the highest reference value provided by the lab. Other conditions that result in increased lipase levels in the blood include-
- Celiac disease
- Cystic fibrosis
- Alcoholism
- Blockage of the bowel (also known as bowel obstruction)
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Swelling or inflammation of the pancreas
- Pancreatic cancer
- Renal failure or kidney failure
In pancreatitis, the lipase level remains higher than 200 U/L. In case of severe pancreatitis, the lipase level is measured at around 1000 U/L. A high lipase level means you need to get in touch with your physician as soon as possible.
The normal level of lipase in the blood remains to be between 0-160 units per litre of blood. The normal range for adults aged 60 years or younger is between 10-140 U/L. For those who are older than 60 years, the normal lipase level for them is between 24-151 U/L. It is also to be noted that the values may differ according to the laboratories.
Other than that, if your lipase level is not normal that does not necessarily mean that you need to go through medical treatment. Medicines such as birth control pills and codeine can certainly affect your lipase test results. If you have more questions, you can talk to the Hospitalanddoctors.com customer service.
| Normal | 10 – 140 units per litre |
| High | More than 200 units per litre |
| Low | Below 10 units per litre |
Lipase Test In Chandigarh
Starts from 150*
Lipase is a type of protein produced from our pancreas which is an organ located near our stomach. The primary feature of this protein is to help us digest fats. Normally everyone has a small number of lipase enzymes in their blood but high levels of lipase available in the blood can indicate a pancreatic disease or pancreatitis (an inflammation of the pancreas).
With the help of a lipase test in Chandigarh, the level of lipase protein in our blood can be measured. The primary feature of the lipase enzyme is to help the human body digest fats. The enzyme is released by a long and flat gland named the pancreas which is situated between the spine and the stomach.
Now, if the pancreas is injured or inflamed, the amount of lipase it releases is more than the usual amount. To find out how your pancreas is performing, you will recommend you to conduct a lipase test in order to find out the level of this particular protein in your blood.
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