Doctors will often request that a routine blood test includes an ALP test if a person has symptoms that may indicate liver problems. These include:. They will also specifically order an ALP test if they think a person has a condition affecting any of the following:. Children tend to have significantly higher levels of ALP than adults because their bones are still growing. A person recovering from a bone injury may also have a raised ALP level in the 3 months after the injury while their bone heals.
It is also common to have higher ALP levels than usual during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. After an ALP test, a doctor will be able to explain what it means if the ALP level is higher or lower than they would expect. As ALP is most abundant in the bones and liver, elevated ALP levels are generally a sign of a liver or bone condition.
An obstruction of the liver or damage to it will cause ALP levels to rise. This will also occur if there is an increase in bone cell activity. Someone having an ALP test will usually need to fast for 10—12 hours before the test. As such, most people prefer to have their test first thing in the morning. Several medications, such as birth control pills and anti-epileptic drugs, can interfere with ALP levels. Therefore, anyone having the test should tell the doctor about any medications and herbal supplements they are taking.
Once they find a suitable vein, the nurse will swab the area with alcohol then insert a small needle into the vein. They will then attach a plastic tube to the end of the needle and draw some blood. Once there is enough blood in the collection tube, the nurse will gently remove the needle and cover the area with a small bandage or dressing. If the person needs other blood tests at the same time, the nurse may have to fill multiple collection tubes.
Liver biopsy demonstrating birefringence with Congo red stain establishes the diagnosis; however, it does not establish the type of amyloidosis. As such, fat, skin, or rectal biopsies are preferred if possible. Rarely will the physician encounter emergent conditions with an isolated elevated alkaline phosphatase that needs to be treated prior to the appropriate diagnostic work-up.
In emergent conditions associated with elevated alkaline phosphatase i. McGraw Hill. Kaplan, MM. The New England Journal of Medicine.. Sarac, F, Saygili, F. Biotechnology and Biotechnology Equipment. All rights reserved. No sponsor or advertiser has participated in, approved or paid for the content provided by Decision Support in Medicine LLC.
Show More. Login Register. We want you to take advantage of everything Cancer Therapy Advisor has to offer. To view unlimited content, log in or register for free. Register now at no charge to access unlimited clinical news, full-length features, case studies, conference coverage, and more. Jump to Section I. Diagnostic Approach. What is the differential diagnosis for this problem?
Historical information important in the diagnosis of this problem. Physical Examination maneuvers that are likely to be useful in diagnosing the cause of this problem. Laboratory, radiographic and other tests that are likely to be useful in diagnosing the cause of this problem. Management while the Diagnostic Process is Proceeding. What's the evidence? After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial.
You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes. You don't need any special preparations for an alkaline phosphatase test. If your health care provider has ordered other blood tests, you may need to fast not eat or drink for several hours before the test. Your health care provider will let you know if there are any special instructions to follow.
There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.
High alkaline phosphatase levels may mean there is damage to your liver or that you have a type of bone disorder. Liver damage creates a different type of ALP than bone disorders do. If the test results show high alkaline phosphatase levels, your health care provider may order additional tests to find out where the extra ALP is coming from.
High alkaline phosphatase levels in the liver can indicate:. There are several other types of blood tests that check your liver function. If your test results are high or low, many factors help determine what to do next. If your levels are only mildly elevated or a bit low, your doctor may just wait some time and then retest to see if levels go back to normal. ALP tests are generally accurate, but they only show part of the picture.
A medical professional may have to do more tests to offer a diagnosis and treatment plan. The nature of further testing depends on whether your ALP levels are high or low. Follow-up tests might include:. You may experience some bruising around the puncture site, but this can be avoided by putting pressure on the wound. In rare cases, phlebitis inflammation of the vein may develop. If you experience this complication, apply a warm compress until the swelling goes down.
Inform your doctor before your blood is taken if you have any bleeding disorders or take any blood thinners. An alkaline phosphatase level test ALP test is a simple test to perform.
It requires just a simple blood draw. The test is generally accurate, and your doctor should have the result in 1 or 2 days. Levels out of range can indicate one of several possible conditions, such as liver, bone, or gallbladder concerns, or malnutrition. Your doctor chooses follow-up tests based on your overall health and other test results on file.
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