Lipase

Overview:

Lipase is an enzyme produced almost entirely by the pancreas to break down dietary fat. When the pancreas is inflamed, lipase leaks into the bloodstream and the level rises, often to several times the usual range. Because lipase comes mainly from the pancreas while amylase also comes from the salivary glands and elsewhere, lipase is the more specific of the two and is generally preferred when acute pancreatitis is being assessed. It also stays raised for longer, which helps when someone presents a few days after symptoms began. Kidney disease can raise lipase without pancreatic inflammation.

Categories:

Digestive Health

Biomarkers:

1 biomarker