Lipase

By Ralph Poore

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Test Overview
A lipase test measures the amount of this enzyme in a blood sample. High amounts of lipase may
be found in the blood when the pancreas is damaged or when the tube leading from the pancreas
(pancreatic duct) to the beginning of the small intestine is blocked.

Why It Is Done
A lipase test is done to:

Check for pancreatitis and other diseases of the pancreas.

See if the treatment for pancreatitis is working.

Help check for cystic fibrosis or see if treatment for it is working.

How To Prepare

Do not eat or drink anything except water for 8 to 12 hours before having a lipase test.
Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, how it
will be done, or what the results will indicate. To help you understand the importance of this test,
fill out the medical test information form (What is a PDF document?) .

How It Is Done
Blood test
The health professional taking a sample of your blood will:

Wrap an elastic band around your upper arm to stop the flow of blood. This makes the
veins below the band larger so it is easier to put a needle into the vein.

Clean the needle site with alcohol.

Put the needle into the vein. More than one needle stick may be needed.

Attach a tube to the needle to fill it with blood.

Remove the band from your arm when enough blood is collected.

Put a gauze pad or cotton ball over the needle site as the needle is removed.

Put pressure to the site and then put on a bandage.

How It Feels
The blood sample is taken from a vein in your arm. An elastic band is wrapped around your
upper arm. It may feel tight. You may feel nothing at all from the needle, or you may feel a quick
sting or pinch.

Risks
There is very little chance of a problem from having a blood sample taken from a vein.

You may get a small bruise at the site. You can lower the chance of bruising by keeping
pressure on the site for several minutes.

In rare cases, the vein may become swollen after the blood sample is taken. This problem
is called phlebitis. A warm compress can be used several times a day to treat this.

Ongoing bleeding can be a problem for people with bleeding disorders. Aspirin, warfarin
(Coumadin), and other blood-thinning medicines can make bleeding more likely. If you
have bleeding or clotting problems, or if you take blood-thinning medicine, tell your
doctor before your blood sample is taken.

Results
Normal
A lipase test measures the amount of this enzyme in a blood sample.
Normal values vary with a person's age and among labs and methods used. Results are normally
available within 12 hours.
Lipase
Normal:

Less than 200 units per liter (U/L)

High values
A high lipase level may be caused by:

Diseases of the pancreas, such as pancreatitis or cancer of the pancreas.

Problems with the gallbladder, such as gallstones and inflammation (cholecystitis).

Chronic kidney disease.

Problems with the intestines, such as bowel blockage (obstruction) or tissue death
(infarction).

Infection, inflammation, or cancer of a salivary gland.

Peptic ulcer disease.

Alcohol or drug abuse.

What Affects the Test

Factors that can interfere with your test or the accuracy of the results include:

Medicines, such as anticoagulants, cholinergics, and narcotics.

Diseases such as kidney disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and
varicose veins.

What To Think About

You can have a high lipase level even when you do not have any problems with your
pancreas.

A test for amylase, another enzyme produced by the pancrease, is often done at the same
time as a test for lipase. Measuring both amylase and lipase sometimes can help
determine the cause of a high amylase level. For more information, see the medical test
Amylase.

The lipase test is more accurate than the amylase test for diagnosing pancreatitis.

Other blood tests that may be done at the same time as a test for lipase include calcium,
glucose, phosphorus, triglycerides, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen
(BUN), and creatinine. For more information, see the medical tests Calcium in Blood,
Blood Glucose, Alanine Aminotransferase, Blood Urea Nitrogen, and Creatinine and
Creatinine Clearance.

References
Other Works Consulted

Chernecky CC, Berger BJ, eds. (2004). Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic
Procedures, 4th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders.

Fischbach FT, Dunning MB III, eds. (2004). Manual of Laboratory and

Diagnostic Tests, 7th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

Pagana KD, Pagana TJ (2006). Mosbys Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory

Tests, 3rd ed. St. Louis: Mosby.