{"id":6084,"date":"2023-06-08T10:30:52","date_gmt":"2023-06-08T05:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/?p=6084"},"modified":"2024-01-15T11:22:50","modified_gmt":"2024-01-15T05:52:50","slug":"liver-function-tests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/liver-function-tests\/","title":{"rendered":"Liver Function Tests: Purpose, Procedure, and Results"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is a Liver Function Test?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Do you know that the liver performs more than 500 functions? At about 3 pounds (the weight of a football), the liver is one of the largest organs in the body. It is located in the upper right-hand part of the abdomen and behind the lower ribs.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A l<\/span>iver panel<\/span> or liver function test<\/a><\/span> (LFT) is a group of blood tests used to detect, evaluate and monitor liver disorders and the overall health of the liver.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"liver-function-test\"<\/p>\n

What does the Liver do?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The liver performs many essential, life-sustaining functions, including removing waste products and foreign substances from the blood, regulating blood sugar levels, and creating essential nutrients.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the most essential functions of the Liver:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Albumin Production<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Bile Production<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Filters Blood<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Regulates Amino Acids<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Regulates Blood Clotting<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Resists Infections<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Stores Vitamins and Minerals<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Processes Glucose<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \u00a0<\/span>What does the Liver Function Test (LFT) measure?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

    The l<\/span>iver function test (LFT)<\/span> measures levels of specific enzymes and proteins in the blood. The standard components of the test include:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) <\/span><\/b>– an enzyme mainly present in the liver <\/span>and to a smaller extent in the heart, kidney, and skeletal muscle<\/span>; the best test for detecting hepatitis<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) <\/span><\/b>– an enzyme found in several body parts, including the heart, liver, and muscles. AST levels are usually measured together with ALT to check for liver problems.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Total bilirubin<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Conjugated bilirubin<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)<\/span><\/b> is an enzyme related to the bile ducts, often increased when blocked, either inside or outside the liver.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Albumin<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Total protein<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) – <\/span><\/b>measures the level of the enzyme GGT in the blood. The GGT test is used to identify liver disease caused by bile duct blockage and alcohol consumption.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      A:G Ratio<\/span><\/b> – a calculated ratio of albumin to globulins.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/span>When is the Liver Function Test (LFT) recommended?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

      The Liver Function Test (LFT) is recommended to:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      • Check for damage from liver infections such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Diagnose liver disorders<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Monitor treatment efficacy of liver disorders<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Monitor side effects of certain medications<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
      • In case of planning for a pregnancy<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Individuals with high-risk factors for liver disorders. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        These risk factors include:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

          \n
        • Diabetes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
        • Obesity<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
        • A family history of liver disease<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
        • Heavy alcohol use<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
        • Injecting drugs using shared needles<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
        • Unprotected sex<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
        • Exposure to certain chemicals or toxins<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          \u00a0<\/span>How is the Liver Function Test (LFT) performed?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

          A blood sample will be taken from a vein in the arm by a professional.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

          No special preparations are required for the l<\/span>iver function test (LFT)<\/span>, though your doctor may instruct you if any specific preparations are needed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u00a0<\/span>What are the risks of the Liver Function Test (LFT)?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

          The l<\/span>iver function test (LFT)<\/span> is a safe, standard test, and there are minimal risks involved, such as<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

            \n
          • Bleeding<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
          • Light-headedness<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
          • Infection<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
          • Bruising<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            What the results may indicate?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

            The normal value ranges of l<\/span>iver function test (LFT)<\/span> results may vary slightly among different laboratories.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

            The doctor will evaluate the results based on health, gender, age, medical history, and other factors and explain what the test results mean in your specific situation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

            What are the tips for maintaining a healthy liver?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

            \u00a0<\/span>The following tips are recommended for maintaining a healthy liver:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

              \n
            • Limit alcohol consumption<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
            • Exercise Regularly<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
            • Eat Healthy Food<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
            • Practice Safe Sex<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
            • Get vaccinated especially against hepatitis A and B and diseases such as yellow fever, which grow in the liver.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              What is a Liver Function Test?\u00a0 Do you know that the liver performs more than 500 functions? At about 3 pounds (the weight of a football), the liver is one of the largest organs in the body. It is located in the upper right-hand part of the abdomen and behind the lower ribs.\u00a0\u00a0 A liver […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":9378,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6084"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6084"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6084\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10807,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6084\/revisions\/10807"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}