The Lipase test contains 1 test with 1 biomarker.
Description: A Lipase test is used to measure the amount of lipase in the blood’s serum. Lipase is an enzyme that is produced by the pancreas. This test can be used to help diagnose acute pancreatic diseases and monitor chronic ones. It can also be used to measure the progress of pancreatic disease treatment.
Also Known As: LPS Test
Collection Method: Blood Draw
Specimen Type: Serum
Test Preparation: No preparation required
Average Processing Time: 1 to 2 days
When is a Lipase test ordered?
When a person shows signs of acute pancreatitis or another pancreatic condition, a lipase test may be recommended.
It may also be ordered at regular intervals when a doctor wishes to monitor someone with a pancreatic issue to see how well medication is working and whether lipase levels are rising or falling over time.
What does a Lipase blood test check for?
Lipase is one of numerous pancreatic enzymes that aid in the digestion of dietary lipids. This test determines how much lipase is present in the blood.
Lipase travels from the pancreas to the first portion of the small intestine, where it aids in the breakdown of dietary lipids into fatty acids. Lipase is produced mostly by the pancreas, but it is also produced by cells in the tongue, stomach, and liver, which are all involved in digestion and nutritional absorption.
Lipase is normally found in modest amounts in the blood. When pancreatic cells are harmed, as in pancreatitis, or the pancreatic duct is obstructed by a gallstone or, in rare situations, a pancreatic tumor, more lipase enters the bloodstream, resulting in greater blood concentrations.
Lab tests often ordered with a Lipase test:
- Amylase
- Trypsin
- Trypsinogen
Conditions where a Lipase test is recommended:
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Diabetes
- Pancreatic Diseases
- Pancreatitis
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Celiac Disease
- Crohn Disease
How does my health care provider use a Lipase test?
To diagnose and monitor acute pancreatitis, a blood test for lipase is frequently performed in conjunction with an amylase test. It can also be used to diagnose and monitor chronic pancreatitis and other pancreatic illnesses, but it isn't as good a test for these conditions because lipase levels stay raised for extended periods of time and don't always reflect clinical progress.
Lipase testing is sometimes used to diagnose and monitor cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, and Crohn's disease.
What do my Lipase test results mean?
A high lipase level in the blood could suggest the presence of a pancreas problem.
Lipase levels are usually quite high in acute pancreatitis, generally 5 to 10 times higher than the maximum reference point. Lipase levels normally rise within 4 to 8 hours of an acute pancreatitis incident and stay high for 7 to 14 days. The severity of an acute pancreatic attack cannot be determined by lipase levels.
Pancreatic duct obstruction, pancreatic cancer, and other pancreatic illnesses, as well as gallbladder inflammation and renal dysfunction, can raise concentrations.
Lipase levels in the blood may suggest persistent damage to the pancreas' lipase-producing cells. This can happen in pancreas-related chronic disorders like cystic fibrosis.
We advise having your results reviewed by a licensed medical healthcare professional for proper interpretation of your results.
