Why total bilirubin high

Hemolytic anemia occurs when too many red blood cells are broken down before the end of their natural life cycle. If the liver is not working properly, it may be unable to make bilirubin water-soluble. This may result in too much bilirubin building up in the liver.

Once the bilirubin has left the liver, levels may be high because the bilirubin is unable to leave the body. This may be a result of blockage in one of the other organs that assist excretion, such as gallstones in the gallbladder.

This is called the post-hepatic phase. Blood tests can measure bilirubin levels. While there is a urine test for bilirubin, it is less accurate and often falsely positive. If a routine urine test detects bilirubin, a doctor will look at blood serum tests to confirm the results and identify any damage to the liver.

Treatment depends on the underlying cause of the high bilirubin. If the cause is known, bilirubin might be removed through treatment or lifestyle changes, such as avoiding alcohol.

The levels go up and down because the process of removing it from the body is slowed down. The fluctuation is rarely enough to cause the skin to yellow, but some people may experience symptoms such as stomach pain or fatigue. This gene codes for an enzyme that enables the liver to convert bilirubin to its conjugated form.

Newborns with high levels of bilirubin have a condition that doctors call neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, or jaundice in neonates. The Merck Manual states that almost half of all newborns have visible jaundice in the first week after birth. In adults, bacteria in the gut break down the conjugated bilirubin to create urobilin, and this is excreted in feces.

In neonates, the liver takes several days to start adequately processing bilirubin. The seriousness and medical significance of elevated bilirubin will depend on the cause. The age of the infant, as well as whether they were born premature, is also a factor. For premature infants, the earlier the delivery occurs in the gestation period, the lower the threshold at which health professionals consider bilirubin levels to be excessive. Most jaundice in infants is not severe, and the symptoms resolve naturally.

Prolonged jaundice is more common in infants who are breast-feeding. This type of jaundice is usually not harmful but needs close monitoring. Sections for Bilirubin test About. Overview A bilirubin test measures the levels of bilirubin in your blood. More Information Gilbert's syndrome.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Lab Tests Online. Accessed Oct. Mayo Medical Laboratories. Bilirubin, serum. Friedman LS. Clinical aspects of serum bilirubin determination. Lab Tests Online. Liver panel. Wilkinson JM expert opinion. Mayo Clinic. Related Gilbert's syndrome.

Bilirubin test About. Hepatitis happens when your liver gets inflamed, often due to a viral infection. Your bile ducts connect your liver to your gallbladder the opening of your small intestine, called the duodenum. They help to move bile, which contains bilirubin, from your liver and gallbladder into your intestines.

This can lead to an increased level of bilirubin. Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is a temporary condition that can happen during the last trimester of pregnancy. It causes bile drainage from your liver to either slow down or stop entirely. This makes it harder for your liver to process bilirubin from your blood, leading to high bilirubin levels. Hemolytic anemia happens when blood cells break down too quickly in your bloodstream.

But if you notice any of the following symptoms, call your doctor or head to urgent care just in case:. Anyone with jaundice, the main sign of high bilirubin levels, needs to see their doctor. The liver produces and clears cholesterol in the body. Learn how liver damage can affect cholesterol and what treatments you can explore.

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Your liver processes everything you eat and drink. And if you have jaundice, your diet can either help or hurt your symptoms. Here's what you can do. A common condition, it can occur when babies have a high level of bilirubin, a yellow…. Damage to the liver from excessive drinking can lead to ARLD. Years of alcohol abuse cause the liver to become inflamed and swollen. If you have ascites, you have fluid in the space between the abdominal lining and the organs.