A-AMYL | Alpha Amylase

α-Amylase – is an enzyme found in the salivary glands. When α-Amylase acts, the first stages of starch or glycogen breakdown begin, forming large molecular weight carbohydrates (intermediate products of starch and glycogen breakdown - dextrins).

The highest activity of amylase is found in the tissue of the pancreas and salivary glands. There is no amylase in the stomach. α-Amylase is quite quickly removed from the blood by the kidneys.

It is advisable to perform an α-Amylase test if there is a need to investigate inflammation of the salivary glands.

In children under 2 years, the activity of α-Amylase in the blood is very low. When acute pancreatitis occurs, the concentration of α-Amylase in the blood increases within the first 24 hours. The α-Amylase test is used as a basis for the differential diagnosis of acute surgical conditions: abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, gastrointestinal perforation, signs of peritonitis, intestinal vascular pathology. If an increase in triglyceride concentration in the blood is detected in the patient, the concentration of α-Amylase is falsely low. When morphine is taken, the concentration of α-Amylase in the blood may increase.

Under physiological conditions, total serum amylase is a mixture of pancreatic α-amylase and salivary gland α-amylase, and observing the increase of both amylases can suggest inflammation of the pancreas, abdominal cavity organs, or salivary gland pathologies.

Recommendations:

• It is recommended to perform it prophylactically once a year, as one of the main indicators of liver function, for disease diagnosis and treatment control, periodically according to the doctor's instructions.
• Medications, diet, and alcohol can affect the test results.
• For the test sample collection, fasting for 12 hours is required.