What Is the Treatment for High AST (SGOT) and High ALT (SGPT)?
Treatment for high AST and ALT varies greatly and is entirely dependent on the cause, states Cleveland Clinic and Healthline. When high levels are detected, further testing to determine the cause is common. High AST and high ALT may be linked to liver damage or skeletal and cardiac muscles.
ALT is an enzyme which is produced by the cells of the liver, according to Healthline. When the liver is damaged to some degree, ALT is released into the blood. However, an ALT test does not show the degree of damage or how much scarring has occurred. Increased levels of ALT may also be a sign of hepatitis, cirrhosis, toxic medications or the death of liver tissue. Mononucleosis, hemochromatosis or an inflamed pancreas can also cause higher ALT levels.
AST is an enzyme present in many parts of the body, with the greatest amount found in the muscles, the heart and liver, states Healthline. An AST test is commonly done with an ALT test to give a person’s doctor an AST to ALT ratio. This is helpful in determining whether liver disease is what is causing results that are higher than normal. Some causes of high AST levels include blockage of a bile duct, kidney failure, chronic viral hepatitis, cirrhosis and hemolytic anemia.
