Amylase
Understanding Amylase
What is Amylase?
An amylase blood test measures the level of amylase, a digestive enzyme, in blood. This test may be prescribed if you experience symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever, jaundice, vomiting, and discomfort in and around the abdomen.
An abnormal amount of amylase in your body may be a sign of a pancreatic disorder. The Amylase test is a crucial marker for detecting ectopic pregnancy, inflammation of the pancreas, and acute pancreatitis in pregnant women. The normal range of amylase in the blood is 30 U/L to 110 U/L. The cause of high amylase levels in the blood can be indicative of chronic pancreatitis and ectopic pregnancy. The levels lower than normal are due to liver disorders and cystic fibrosis.
What is Amylase used for?
· To help in the diagnosis of acute and chronic pancreatitis
· To help diagnose pancreatic cysts, pancreatic pseudocyst, and pancreatic abscesses
· To determine the blockage of pancreatic ducts
· To diagnose certain conditions affecting the digestive system like peptic ulcers, infections, appendicitis, etc.
· To diagnose some types of tumors like pancreatic cancer
· To monitor treatment of pancreatic diseases
Interpreting Amylase results
Interpretations
Normal Range:
· Adults up to age 60 yrs: 25-125 units per litre (U/L)
· Adults older than age 60 yrs: 24-151 U/L