Description of the blood Analysis: 

Amylase is an enzyme that helps your body break down complex carbohydrates (starches) into simple sugars. It is produced mainly by the pancreas and the salivary glands. A small amount of amylase is always present in the blood, but if the pancreas becomes inflamed or injured, or if a salivary gland is blocked, large amounts of the enzyme leak into the bloodstream.

What Does the Analysis Represent?

• Goal: To diagnose and monitor inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) or other pancreatic disorders.
• Main Application: Evaluating acute abdominal pain, diagnosing salivary gland issues, and monitoring the recovery of the pancreas after surgery or injury.
• Biological Process: It reflects the integrity of the pancreatic ducts and cells. In acute pancreatitis, amylase levels often rise within 2 to 12 hours of the onset of symptoms and remain high for several days.

Recommendations for the Test (General)

• Fasting: Recommended. While not strictly mandatory for all labs, fasting for 8–12 hours is often requested because high levels of fats in the blood (lipemia) can sometimes interfere with the accuracy of the amylase measurement.
• Alcohol: Avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours before the test, as alcohol is a major trigger for pancreatic stress.
• Medications: Many drugs (such as aspirin, birth control pills, and certain diuretics) can affect results. Inform your doctor of everything you are taking.
• Material: Venous blood (serum) or a urine sample (often both are collected).

What Can Affect the Results?

• Kidney Function: Because the kidneys clear amylase from the blood, decreased kidney function can lead to higher-than-normal amylase levels.
• Macroamylasemia: A harmless condition where amylase binds to proteins in the blood, making the molecules too large for the kidneys to filter, resulting in chronically high blood levels without any disease.
• Recent Procedures: Procedures like an ERCP (used to look at the bile ducts) can cause a temporary spike in amylase.
• Pregnancy: Some women show slightly elevated amylase during normal pregnancy.

When to Take the Test?

• Severe Abdominal Pain: Sharp, intense pain that starts in the upper abdomen and often radiates to the back.
• Digestive Symptoms: Fever, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting accompanying abdominal pain.
• Salivary Issues: Swelling or pain in the jaw or under the ears (mumps or a salivary stone).
• Monitoring: To check if treatment for pancreatitis is working.

How to Interpret the Results?

Important: Amylase results are for informational purposes and require a professional medical diagnosis. Elevated Levels: High concentrations in the blood often indicate acute pancreatitis or issues with the salivary glands. Low Levels: May suggest permanent damage to the cells in the pancreas that produce digestive enzymes.

Possible Further Investigations

• Lipase: This is a more specific enzyme for the pancreas. If both amylase and lipase are high, a pancreas problem is almost certain.
• Abdominal CT or Ultrasound: To visualize the pancreas for swelling, stones, or cysts.
• Urine Amylase: To see how much enzyme the kidneys are clearing.
• CRP (C-Reactive Protein): To measure the severity of the inflammation.

When Does the Next Step Make Sense? 

The next step is urgent if amylase levels are significantly elevated alongside severe abdominal pain. Acute pancreatitis can be a life-threatening condition that requires hospitalization and fluid management. Even a mild elevation should be followed up with a Lipase test to confirm whether the source of the enzyme is the pancreas or the salivary glands.

👉 If necessary, you can discuss the results of the analysis with a specialist, such as a Gastroenterologist (Doctors – TAMC).