Causes and symptoms of elevated bilirubin

The content of the article:

• What is the bilirubin?
• Causes of increased bilirubin
• Symptoms of elevated bilirubin
• Diagnosis of elevated bilirubin
• Treatment of high bilirubin

What is the bilirubin?

Bilirubin is a bile pigment unique rather bright red-brown color. It is an important product of the catabolism of hemoglobin. It is known that a major part of the bilirubin is always formed in the liver. Huge diagnostic importance of its excessive accumulation in blood or significant appearance in the urine in humans. Such States are called hyperbilirubinemia and bilirubinuria.

Small molecule of bilirubin consists of four pyrrole rings connected linearly with each other. Certain molecular weight of bilirubin equivalent 548,68. Usual pure bilirubin can be described as a crystalline substance. It is always difficult soluble in water, glycerol, ether, and slightly soluble in alcohol, while a little better in chlorobenzene, chloroform and various dilute solutions of alkalis.

Because bilirubin is a specific breakdown product of red blood cells, he continuously formed in the body. In tissues and in blood is initially formed only of the indirect type bilirubin, in other words, a toxic substance. It is practically insoluble in water, so it is not excreted from the human body. It is believed that the norm of this indirect bilirubin is always with the blood goes directly to the liver, where this forms its direct form.

The resulting material is further soluble in water, thereby readily excreted from the human body together with feces or urine. It is necessary to mention that substance bilirubin gives human feces a characteristic brown color.

Find out more: the Norm of bilirubin in the blood

Causes of increased bilirubin

A significant increase of bilirubin in human blood is due to such reasons as an increase in the intensity of hemolysis of red blood cells, a serious defeat of the liver parenchyma with the inevitable violation of her important bilirubin is the excretory function, a significant violation of the outflow of bile from all bile ducts in the human intestines, severe loss of enzyme link that always provides the necessary biosynthesis of the glucuronides of bilirubin.

In addition, the increase in bilirubin may cause a serious violation of the hepatic secretion of conjugated direct bilirubin in bile, a considerable increase in the intensity of hemolysis, which occurs in various hemolytic anemias. You should know that the hemolysis can often be strengthened and malaria, B12-scarce anemia, massive hemorrhage in the various tissues of the body, while crush syndrome, otherwise known as unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia and dangerous pulmonary infarcts.

With a fairly strong increase in a certain concentration of bilirubin in the blood of the person in the first place, often there is a characteristic slightly yellowish tint of the skin and sclera of the eye, while the urine has a darker color. Because highly elevated concentrations of bilirubin always seeps into the fabric of the human body, which leads to staining of tissues in yellowish-grey shade.

In most cases the accumulation of bilirubin often accompanied by severe discomfort after different physical workloads in the right hypochondrium. Also may be fatigue, high temperature and weakness. If you experience these specific symptoms it is advisable to contact the hospital to analyze the level of bilirubin.

Moreover, if the norm of the substance will be greatly improved, the next step should immediately find out the causes of this condition, followed by the appointment of the necessary treatment.

The tiny newborns, the blood sample is always taken from the heel, but the adults have made the fence from Vienna. It is recommended to do such an analysis in the morning and on an empty stomach. To get the right objective results, before the blood can't drink within 4 hours.

A significant increase of bilirubin in the blood cause condition and disease of the liver and the blood, as anemia, problems with the gall bladder, disorders of formation of bilirubin in the liver, worm infestation and vitamin B12 deficiency.

Congenital or acquired anemia often leads to a significant acceleration of the process of direct destruction of red blood cells in humans, and thereby raise the level of bilirubin. All other links of the chain in this case is absolutely not broken. Such anemia is characterized by increased indirect form of bilirubin. Due to an autoimmune and many other diseases by type of malaria can develop acquired hemolytic anemia.

A significant violation of the formation in the liver, direct bilirubin is considered as the second possible cause of the disease. These include all types of cancer, hepatitis and cirrhosis. Along with this, to raise the level of bilirubin is typical of hereditary disease, Gilbert syndrome, when the correct output is severely disturbed liver enzymes. To clarify the reasons you need to make specific additional tests.

Problems with the gallbladder can also trigger this condition. In case of serious violation of the outflow of bile from the gallbladder often observed elevated levels of direct bilirubin. In addition, on rare occasions, we can say that taking some medicines because of their side effects may change the level of the bile pigment in the blood.

You should not underestimate the threat the prevalence of infection with worms. Numerous parasites in the human body is often unable to give in addition to the core symptoms of intrusion and increased levels of bilirubin. Significant vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause disease.

Symptoms of elevated bilirubin

The main symptoms of high bilirubin levels include headache, nausea, dizziness, itching, fatigue and marked yellowness of the skin and mucous membranes. Because bilirubin formed outside the liver, are always connected with serum albumin, it is transported by the blood and necessarily captured by the liver.

It should be noted that a significant portion of approximately 75% in the liver is associated with important glucuronic acid, with the formation of the pairing bilirubin-glucuronate, or, in other words, the glucuronide of bilirubin. Then approximately15% of bilirubin forms a typical pairing with sulfuric acid. This form is called bilirubinuria.

Diagnosis of elevated bilirubin

To determine the exact amount of bilirubin in urine always use a sample of Harrison, which is a qualitative reaction based on the oxidation of bilirubin and its interaction with the reagent Fouche to produce biliverdin. You need to connect trichloroacetic acid binding in certain proportions with ferric chloride. In addition, sensitive quality breakdown is considered and the trial of Harrison (sensitivity varies from 0.5 to 1.7 mg/100 ml).

Find out more: Restoration of the liver list of medications

Treatment of high bilirubin

To know how quickly to reduce the level of bilirubin in the blood in a person initially need to figure out the exact cause of its increase. The optimal method of treatment may appoint a doctor, because each of them has its own specific indications.

Infusion therapy is the main method of reduction of bilirubin in the blood. It involves the intravenous infusion of of detoxification of drugs and glucose, promotes the excretion of bilirubin and its degradation products from the body of the patient. To this effective as modern professionals are usually sought in serious condition.

Another technique you can mark phototherapy, which is an irradiation of the patient is harmless special lamps. Toxic indirect bilirubin is destroyed under their influence, becoming direct in its simple form, and then easily excreted from the body. As a rule, to such phototherapy is often used when you want to quickly reduce the level of bilirubin in infants. For them, this measure is most effective.

When the reason for the increase of bilirubin in serious violations of excretion of bile, in most cases, prescribe certain pharmaceutical drugs that help normalize this process. Another way you can see the change day to day diet.

It is recommended that in addition to the cleaning preparations to use activated carbon and special gel, detoxifying. It is necessary to reduce the load on the liver that involves exclusion from the diet of fried and spicy food, and sweet carbonated beverages.

If the rise of bilirubin-induced hepatitis that is primarily prescribed medications that canto fully protect the patient's liver. Direct treatment of the hepatitis stimulates the reduction of bilirubin.

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If not properly treated, the risk of complications is very high. For example, the dangerous Gilbert's syndrome and many other serious diseases of the liver, in most cases, successfully treated with Phenobarbital. If all the links of the chains are operating normally, the excretion of bilirubin from the body does not cause any difficulties.

This cleansing process also relieves the patient and from decay products and updates tissue. When excessive concentrations of bilirubin in the blood, one should not ignore the symptoms of the disease, early treatment will allow the person to quickly recover.