What Causes Elevated Liver Levels of AST?
An enzyme is a protein that increases the rate of chemical reactions, like a tiny machine. AST stands for aspartate aminotransferase, and is an enzyme found in the liver as well as many other tissues. A typical blood test to evaluate liver damage, called a liver function test or LFT, measures levels of this enzyme and a number of other proteins in the blood. Since AST is found in many different cells, elevated AST is not specific for liver damage, but is interpreted against a person’s medical history, physical exam findings and other laboratory results.
