MARCADORES LABORATORIAIS DA FUNÇÃO HEPÁTICA

The class discusses laboratory markers of liver function. The class covers the main markers of liver dysfunction, such as transaminases, AST, ALT, bilirubin, albumin, liver enzymes, alkaline phosphatase, gamma glutamate, and others. Transaminases or aminotransferases are enzymes present within the cells of our body and are responsible for the metabolization of certain proteins. The two main aminotransferases are AST (glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase) and AST (glutamic pyruvic transaminase). These enzymes are present in various cells throughout our body, and both are present in large quantities in hepatocytes (liver cells). Whenever cells containing AST and/or AST are damaged, these enzymes "leak" into the blood, increasing their concentration. Therefore, it is easy to understand why liver diseases, which involve hepatocyte damage, present with elevated blood levels of AST and AST. AST is also present in muscle and heart cells, while AST is found almost exclusively within liver cells. AST is therefore more specific for liver disease than AST. A few decades ago, when current markers for myocardial infarction did not yet exist, AST was used as a marker of heart damage in patients with suspected cardiac ischemia. For an obvious reason, in these cases, only AST was elevated, with AST remaining at normal levels, since the latter is practically exclusive to the liver. Because both enzymes are present in similar quantities in liver cells, liver diseases present with elevations in both AST and AST. While transaminases are used to assess liver cell damage, alkaline phosphatase and gamma glutamate (GGT) are enzymes that increase when there is damage to the bile ducts. Bilirubin is a remnant of the destruction of old and defective red blood cells by the spleen, an organ located in the upper left quadrant of the abdomen. Bilirubin produced in the spleen is transported by the blood to the liver, where it is processed and eliminated in bile. Bile is released into the intestine, participates in digestion, and is later eliminated in the feces (hence its brown color). Bilirubin from the spleen is called indirect bilirubin, while that transformed in the liver is direct bilirubin. Once the diagnosis of liver damage is established, it is possible to assess the degree of liver failure. The two main measurements for this purpose are albumin and PT. Albumin is a protein produced in the liver, and a drop in its blood levels can indicate poor liver function. Likewise, the liver also participates in the production of vitamin K, which is involved in the blood clotting process. People with liver failure have greater difficulty clotting, which can be measured by measuring the PT or INR. ===== #liver markers #liver function #transaminases