What is ldh blood test?

LDH is the short form for the Lactate Dehydrogenase test. This test is typically used as a measure of tissue damage in an individual. It may be used to measure acute tissue damage, which has occurred due to a recent illness or injury. It may also be used to measure chronic tissue damage which has occurred due to a debilitating and progressive condition. Because of this function, the LDH test may also be used to measure and detect the rate of progression of such a condition based on the rate at which the results are progressing. The LDH blood test is carried out under instruction from a doctor when there is sufficient evidence to point to cellular or tissue damage. The level of LDH has to be elevated in order to confirm that there is some sort of damage in the body. However, the LDH level alone may not be able to pin point the exact location of the damage or injury. A further test or series of tests may be ordered to locate the area where the damage has occurred.

There is an LDH iso-enzymes test which may be used for further diagnosis, along with other tests that can identify the location of cellular damage. After diagnosis is complete, medical intervention will be decided upon based on the location and severity of the problem. Further testing of the LDH levels will continue as treatment progresses to monitor the effects of the treatment. If the problem continues to worsen, the level of LDH will continue to rise, whereas if an improvement has occurred it will register a fall. Hemolytic anemia can be checked for using the LDH test. Hemolytic anemia occurs when the red blood cells are being broken by a physical barrier, which is an artificial valve or stent in the body, or by some condition that is causing the blood cells to be unusually weak.

High LDH levels can be associated with some conditions such as, strokes, hemolytic anemia, drug abuse, kidney disease, liver disease, mononucleosis, pancreatic disease, and muscular dystrophy. It is also important to know when the level of LDH will be elevated naturally. People who undergo strenuous exercise or have just taken part in a physically demanding activity may have slightly damaged muscles as the muscles have been strained to a great extent. This will reflect in a temporary rise in LDH levels, so it is important rest well prior to any testing.

Submitted by M H on May 8, 2013 at 01:24

What does elevated LDH levels mean?

The enzyme LDH or Lactic Acid Dehydrogenase is responsible for creating energy for the cells in the body. It is found in almost all body tissues and can be measured by a simple blood test.

Normal LDH levels are generally low and range between 140 IU/liter to 333 IU/ liter. Low LDH levels are usually no cause for concern. However, elevated LDH levels may indicate cell damage. This damage could be caused by a number of medical conditions. Some of the elevated LDH level causes include tissue damage due to trauma or disease, a recent heart attack, disease of the liver or the kidney or even the lungs, cancer, anemia, HIV, meningitis or encephalitis to name a few. If a blood test report is positive (a high LDH reading) more medical tests will be required to determine the actual cause of the cell damage. LDH tests are also used to monitor a patient's response to chemotherapy or to evaluate the rate of muscular degeneration or the progress of HIV.

Elevated LDH levels in children also indicate some type of tissue damaged caused by diseases, trauma or infections. Children suffering from anemia or cancer need to routinely do an LDH test to monitor their progress and response to medications.

Submitted by N on January 2, 2012 at 11:07

What are the causes of high and low ldh levels?

Lactate dehydrogenase also known as LDH is an enzyme that is found in nearly all body tissues. LDH is responsible for creating energy from glucose for cells. Normal levels of LDH range from 105 and 333 IU/liter. In fact low levels of LDH indicate that all is normal in the body. In cases where the numbers are radically low there is still no need to worry. One of the causes of low LDH levels may be a high intake of vitamin C and this will show up in other blood reports as well.

You should be careful if the LDH levels go over the 333 IU/liter mark. High levels of LDH can indicate a number of medical conditions such as tissue damage (due to trauma or disease), hemolytic anemia (an abnormal breakdown of red blood cells), liver disease, encephalitis, kidney failure, a recent heart attack, and some types of cancer. An LDH blood test can also confirm if chemotherapy is working successfully. The test is therefore a regular part of cancer follow-up care.

Tissue damage is one of the major causes of high LDH levels. Besides this you could also get a false positive test result due to improper handling of blood test samples.

Submitted by N on December 13, 2011 at 10:06

What are the Normal LDH levels in blood?

LDH or Lactic Acid Dehydrogenase is an enzyme that is found in almost all tissue in the body. It is responsible for converting glucose derived from food into energy. Cells then use this energy in order to function properly. Normal LDH levels in the blood range from 140 IU/liter to 333 IU/ liter.

You should know that low LDH levels in the blood are not indicative of any medical problem. At the most a low LDH reading may be a response to a high intake of vitamin C. It is only when the LDH readings are higher than the average LDH levels in the blood that there is an indication that there may be cell damage. High levels of LDH can be due to a number of medical conditions. Some of these include lung disease, liver disease, kidney failure, anemia, and some types of cancer, a recent heart attack and tissue degeneration. A blood test is required to measure LDH levels. If the readings are positive or high, more medical tests may be necessary in order to get to the cause of the problem.

Testing the blood for LDH levels also helps assess the efficacy of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy.

Submitted by N on December 7, 2011 at 10:42