Table of Contents
- Overview
- Results
- Risks
- Prevention
The normal range is 23 to 85 units per liter (U/L). Some laboratories give a range of 40 to 140 U/L.
Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
What abnormal results mean
Increased amylase levels may indicate:
Acute pancreatitis -
Cancer of the pancreas , ovaries, or lungs Cholecystitis -
Gallbladder attack resulting from disease - Infection of the salivary glands (such as
mumps ) or an obstruction Intestinal obstruction Macroamylasemia - Pancreatic or
bile duct obstruction Perforated ulcer -
Tubal pregnancy (may be ruptured) - Viral gastroenteritis
Decreased amylase levels may indicate:
- Damage to the pancreas
Kidney disease - Pancreatic cancer
Toxemia of pregnancy
Previous Section
Review Date: 01/28/2009
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of
General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington
School of Medicine; and George F Longstreth, MD, Department of
Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program San Diego,
California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
