Amylase is an enzyme, that is, a substance that promotes the breakdown of carbohydrates that occurs in the digestive tract. This substance affects complex carbohydrates (such as starch, glycogen, etc.) in such a way that they break down into small carbohydrates (such as glucose), which are absorbed by the intestines. There are two main varieties of amylase: pancreatic amylase (it is produced by the pancreas) and saliva amylase.
This substance must be contained in the gastrointestinal tract and must not enter the bloodstream. Amylase enters the blood only if human organs containing this enzyme are damaged . Amylase in the blood is measured in order to timely detect the disease in humans with certain complaints of well-being. This disease can be chronic pancreatitis, acute pancreatitis, and, as a result, damage to the pancreas. Also, elevated levels of amylase in the blood or urine may indicate salivary gland dysfunction, which is manifested in a disease such as mumps (or mumps).
In order to detect the level of amylase in the patient’s blood, the doctor prescribes a special biochemical analysis. To get reliable test results, you should donate blood in the morning on an empty stomach. The norm for humans is an amylase content of up to one hundred and twenty-five U / L. Elevated amylase is an alarm.
Amylase increases with pancreatitis, a disease characterized by inflammation of the pancreas. Pancreatic cells are destroyed, and thus a lot of this substance enters the bloodstream. Attacks of pancreatitis are accompanied by severe and sudden pain around the navel, which gives back. There is also severe nausea, vomiting, fever.
In addition, an increase in amylase occurs with tumors or stones that are in the duct of the gland. Because of this, the substance enters the bloodstream. Elevated amylase occurs in mumps disease. So called viral disease - inflammation of the salivary gland located near the ear. When mumps, salivary gland cells are damaged, amylase enters the bloodstream. This disease causes high fever, dry mouth in a person, ear pain when chewing and during a conversation, swelling near the ears. Typically, mumps affects boys in childhood. Sometimes men who have been ill with mumps cannot have children in the future.
There are cases when increased amylase in the blood speaks of acute peritonitis - inflammation of the abdominal cavity that occurs when the intestine or stomach is perforated, with appendicitis. In this case, the person feels severe weakness, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, his body temperature rises.
Increased amylase can be observed in diseases such as diabetes mellitus (complicated form, diabetic coma), ectopic pregnancy in women. Alcohol poisoning also causes an increase in this substance in the blood.
The level of this enzyme in humans in the blood can be lowered, that is, be below 25 units / liter. This means that the organs that produce this substance are not functioning properly. This may be pancreatic insufficiency, which occurs after pancreatitis, pancreatic necrosis (death of part of the pancreas).
Also, reduced amylose may indicate a hereditary disease called cystic fibrosis. With this pathology, the activity of all the glands in the body, including the pancreas and salivary, is disrupted. Cystic fibrosis is usually a childhood illness. By identifying the disease, it can be cured quickly enough. To do this, you need to take certain drugs and follow a fairly strict diet.