The GGT test helps to diagnose liver disease but can not determine the cause of the disease. If the GGT results are abnormal, your doctor may prescribe you to undergo a few more tests to determine the cause.
Liver damage is a serious condition and at times can be fatal. Pay attention to the early signs and symptoms of liver damage or disease. If the damage is diagnosed at an early stage, it will be easier to begin the treatment and reverse the damage.
Inform your doctor if you have any symptoms of liver disease, GGT test and a few other tests will help to diagnose the disease as well as understand its cause.
Following a healthy diet, quitting alcohol and nicotine are some of the first few steps towards maintaining a balanced GGT level. Follow up with your doctor to understand the cause of the result, discuss treatment options and precautions that need to be taken.
When should it be repeated?
The GGT test levels are subject to fluctuations. You might be asked to repeat the test if your doctor believes that the abnormal level of GGT in your test is the result of certain medications or alcohol. Apart from alcohol, nicotine can also have an impact on GGT levels.
To evaluate a particular medical condition, your doctor may ask you to repeat the GGT test after a few months to confirm the recovery and monitor the effectiveness of treatment.
If you are someone who has completed alcohol rehabilitation sessions, your doctor may prescribe you to take a GGT test at regular intervals to check if you are following the instructions provided at the sessions.
If you are someone who consumes alcohol in huge quantities but has recently stopped, it will take over a month for the GGT levels to fall to normal range.
GGT Test: Procedure
GGT test is simple as a blood test and helps to measure the GGT level in the blood.
- A nurse or health care provider will tie an elastic band around your arm. This will help to retain blood within the arm and make the veins more visible.
- The blood is withdrawn with the help of a syringe and is collected in a vial for analysis.
- After drawing the blood, the health professional will remove the band tied on your arm and cover the puncture area with cotton and bandage to avoid bleeding.
- In some cases, you might also witness bruising, which might cure without any medications.
- A mild bruise is normal and can take a few days to cure. If the bruise gets worse, seek medical help.
- If you feel faint or lightheaded, seek medical help.
- Inform your doctor in advance if you have any bleeding disorders.
- Other risks associated with the withdrawing of blood are hematoma, skin infection, and excessive bleeding.
In kids, your doctor might go with a ‘heel stick collection’. In this method, your doctor will prick your baby’s heel using a small needle and collect the blood sample.
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