What is an LFT Test? Purpose, Procedure & Reports Explained

Liver function tests are a kind of blood test that is done to monitor liver health. The liver is a major part of the body and is responsible for filtering toxins from blood, metabolising nutrients, developing bile for digestion, preserving minerals and vitamins and controlling blood sugar levels.

Interesting Fact About Liver

The liver is among the only surprising internal organs that can regrow. This is the reason a healthy person can actually opt to donate a part of their liver to a patient.

Ways To Prepare Before an LFT Blood Test

Your doctor can guide you best here. Ask him if you need to avoid food, water, certain medication, or something specific.

More About LFT Blood Test

Another name for Liver function test is liver chemistries. It gives a true reflection of liver enzymes, protein levels, bilirubin presence in the blood and more. If any treatment is going on or the patient is on medication, this test can say how well the liver is doing. If the test results are high or low, it will indicate the problems your liver is facing.

Which Diseases Are Screened Through the LFT Test Procedure?

Some of the LFT tests are conducted to know more about hepatitis, how the medications are affecting the liver and how serious liver issues are!

Who is advised to take an LFT test?

During some situations, your health specialist may ask you to undertake this test. These situations can be:

• When the patient has been seen suffering from a hepatitis virus, this test checks for the damage this infection has done to the liver.
• Sometimes, some medications may have an adverse effect on the liver. This can be an antibiotic, statins, tuberculosis medication and antiseizure medicines.
• In case the patient is already suffering from some liver problem, this LFT test report might help to know if the treatment is helping to improve the condition.
• If the patient has some new liver disease symptoms, especially fatty liver.
• People suffering from certain diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes and anaemia may need to do this test.
• People who consume alcohol have a high chance that their liver will be damaged gradually.
• People suffering from gallbladder issues may need to do this test.
• Patient suffering from fatigue, weight loss, weakness, jaundice, vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea, pain in the stomach or more demands this test for further clarification.

Details About Different Liver Function Tests

A list of tests is done under this test. Let us check them one by one:

ALT Test: Alanine transaminase is often released in your body to metabolise protein. It checks if the liver is in a good position or not. If the liver is not working well, ALT is released into the blood, helping the levels to rise. If the test results are on the higher side, it shows the liver is having some problems.

AST Test: While clinically checking the body, you will find one common enzyme throughout. It is Aspartate aminotransferase, which can be found in the brain, heart, liver, muscles and pancreas. In case of liver damage, this AST is finally released into the bloodstream. After the tests, if the results show higher than the normal range, it is a sign of muscle or liver damage.

Generally, ALT and AST tests are done together to check for the presence of any liver problems.

ALP Test: You will find a common enzyme called alkaline phosphatase in bile ducts, liver, and bones. It is done along with other liver function tests. It basically evaluates the liver's bile duct system.

Albumin Test: It is a common name of the protein, liver makes and can do several body functions. Testing for albumin helps to know whether your liver is making albumin in the right quantity or not.

Bilirubin Test: Ever heard of a waste product which is a result of the RBC breakdown? It is bilirubin. This process is done by the liver and has to pass through the liver before it moves out in the stool. If the liver is damaged, it is not processing the bilirubin properly; thus, the amount of bilirubin in the blood increases. The bilirubin level may rise due to certain diseases, too.

LFT Test Normal Range to Abnormal Range

You need to compare the test results with the normal ones, and any variation will reflect the dysfunction of your liver.

ALT Test: If the results are higher than 25 IU/L (International Units per Litre) in women and above 33IU/V in men, it shows liver issues. This demands further treatment and investigation.

AST Test: The normal range of AST among adults is 36U/L, and it can be higher in teenagers and infants and lower in older people. If the test outcomes are actually higher than the normal range, it shows liver inflammation, bone disease or some kind of bile blockage.

ALP Test: The Normal range of ALP in adults should be between 20-140 IU/L. Any higher or lower number is not recommended for liver health.

Albumin Test: The normal range of this test should be 35-50 g/L. A lower count is a sign of malnutrition, cancer and cirrhosis.

Bilirubin Test: The normal range of this test is 0.1 mg/dL - 1.2 mg/dL. An increased level indicates hepatitis or cirrhosis.

How is an LFT test done?

You need to book your appointment in an efficient laboratory like Qris Health, which has skilled technicians. They will extract blood from the arm vein and send it to the lab for further testing.

Takeaways

Liver function tests help doctors to diagnose liver disease, if any, in the patient. It also helps them to treat it well. In case it is due to ongoing medicines or diseases, doctors can stop it to protect the patient's liver. Once this LFT is done, doctors can interpret the results and suggest the medication to treat the issues.

Always try to compare the LFT test price before you plan to do it, and if you are in or near Delhi, you can get the testing done through Qris Health, which is accurate, budget-friendly, and, above all, highly upgraded. You can ask for a sample home collection service too. The results are delivered on time. When it comes to your health, choose Qris Health!