What does high total bilirubin mean?

Total bilirubin occurs when red blood cells in the human body die. The normal index of bilirubin determines the normal functioning of the liver and is also related to the indicators of various organs in the body. Many people are unfamiliar with the disease of total bilirubin, but in fact it is hidden in the bodies of many people. Let’s take a closer look at what high total bilirubin means.

Bilirubin is a pigment produced by hemoglobin in red blood cells, which have a fixed lifespan and are destroyed daily. At this time, hemoglobin will break down into heme (haem) and heme. Heme is converted into biliverdin by the action of NADPH and H ions. Trivalent Fe ions and CO, biliverdin then generates bilirubin under the action of NADPH and H ions. Hemoglobin will be reconstructed into tissue protein, and bilirubin plays an important role in human metabolism. The normal value of bilirubin is an important basis for determining normal/abnormal liver function.

Causes of high total bilirubin:

(1) Hemolytic diseases, neonatal jaundice or blood transfusion errors can cause massive destruction of red blood cells, leading to high levels of indirect bilirubin in the blood, which in turn causes high levels of total bilirubin.

(ii) When diseases such as intrahepatic and extrahepatic obstructive jaundice, pancreatic head cancer, capillary cholangiohepatitis and other cholestasis syndromes occur, the bile duct is blocked and the excretion of bile is impaired, resulting in high direct bilirubin, which in turn causes high total bilirubin.

(III) When suffering from hepatitis diseases, such as acute icteric hepatitis, acute icteric hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, cirrhosis, toxic hepatitis, etc., liver cells become diseased and cannot convert indirect bilirubin into direct bilirubin, resulting in high levels of both indirect bilirubin and direct bilirubin, thus causing high total bilirubin.

If you drink alcohol frequently, it is best to drink less or not at all. Further examination should be carried out promptly to confirm the diagnosis.