Are elevated liver enzymes dangerous?
Elevated liver enzymes often indicate inflammation or damage to cells in the liver.
Inflamed or injured liver cells leak higher than normal amounts of certain chemicals, including liver enzymes, into the bloodstream, elevating liver enzymes on blood tests.
Elevated liver enzymes might be discovered during routine blood testing. In most cases, liver enzyme levels are only mildly and temporarily elevated.
Causes
Most of the time, elevated liver enzymes don't signal a chronic, serious liver problem. Many diseases and conditions can contribute to elevated liver enzymes.
More common causes of elevated liver enzymes include:
- Over-the-counter pain medications
- Drinking alcohol
- Heart failure
- Hepatitis A, B, C
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
- Obesity
Other possible causes of elevated liver enzymes include:
- Alcoholic hepatitis
- Autoimmune hepatitis
- Celiac disease
- Cytomegalovirus infection
- Epstein-Barr virus
- Hemochromatosis
- Liver cancer
- Mononucleosis
- Polymyositis
- Sepsis
- Toxic hepatitis
- Wilson's disease
If a blood test reveals you have elevated liver enzymes, ask your doctor what the results might mean. Your doctor might suggest you undergo other tests and procedures to determine what's causing your elevated liver enzymes.
An appropriate course of treatment is prescribed according to the diagnosis.
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/elevated-liver-enzymes/basics/definition/sym-20050830
