The measurement of amylase is used, within the tests included in a blood test, for the diagnosis of enfermedades del páncreasIt is an indicator of acute pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas whose main causes are excessive alcohol consumption and gallstones in the gallbladder.
In this way, the test to assess blood amylase levels is usually requested in patients with the characteristic symptom of acute pancreatitis: severe pain in the epigastrium that radiates to the back in a belt-like pattern.
However, some studies point to another enzyme produced by the pancreas, lipase, as a better predictor of acute pancreatitis.
What is amylase?
The amylase is an enzyme produced by the pancreas and the salivary glands. Its main function is to digest carbohydrates from food.
Enzyme levels are normally measured through their presence in the blood, known as amylasemia. However, they can also be determined in urine (amylasuria) or other fluids, such as pleural fluid.
High Amylase
Normal blood amylase values range between 30 and 180 U/L (units per liter). Amylase levels High Amylase will be elevated in cases of acute pancreatitis and associated complications.
Other situations in which amylase can increase include intestinal ischemia (lack of blood flow to the intestines), esophageal rupture, stomach perforation, kidney problems, rupture of an ectopic pregnancy, alcohol consumption, or parotitis (mumps).
In acute pancreatitis, pancreatic enzyme levels in the blood can rise within 3–6 hours. The peak level is reached after about 24 hours and can remain elevated for up to 3 days. There is no direct correlation between amylase levels (which can be up to 40 times higher than normal) and the severity of the pancreatitis.