Amylase

Amylase is a small enzyme that breaks down starch in the food that we eat to produce maltose and glucose.

It is produced predominantly in the pancreas and salivary glands
(and can be produced in some cancers of the lung and ovary)

In plasma (the liquid part of the blood) we can measure two isoenzymes - the s type, salivary and the p type, pancreatic. This is rarely required though.

The commonest reason for measuring amylase is in the patient presenting with acute abdominal pain where acute pancreatitis is a possibility.

In the majority of instances, given the appropriate clinical setting, the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis is made by a plasma amylase activity 4x above normal.

(Amylase is the most commonly measured enzyme used in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. Some hospitals also measure serum lipase and urine trypsinogen 2)

Patient admitted with acute abdominal pain?
Check amylase

Click on the pancreas for more information about amylase