What does it mean if the total bilirubin level is high?
Disease description:
I recently discovered during a physical examination that my total bilirubin level is elevated. I have also experienced mild loss of appetite and some dizziness recently. Could you please tell me what could cause an elevated total bilirubin level?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Elevated total bilirubin levels may involve various issues, primarily summarized as follows:
1. Physiological causes: Such as physiological jaundice in newborns, which is a normal phenomenon after birth and generally resolves spontaneously.
2. Biliary tract problems: Biliary obstruction or cholecystitis may prevent normal excretion of bilirubin, causing it to reflux into the bloodstream and increase total bilirubin levels.
3. Liver diseases: Conditions such as hepatitis and cirrhosis can impair liver function, affecting bilirubin metabolism and excretion, thereby leading to elevated total bilirubin levels.
4. Hemolytic diseases: Such as blood transfusion incompatibility or hemolytic anemia, where extensive red blood cell destruction releases bilirubin in amounts exceeding the liver's capacity to process it, also resulting in increased total bilirubin levels.
When total bilirubin levels are elevated, timely medical consultation is recommended to determine the underlying cause through further examinations and to implement appropriate treatment measures.
