Is High Indirect Bilirubin Dangerous?

Elevated levels may indicate liver damage or disease. Higher than normal levels of direct bilirubin in your blood may indicate your liver isn’t clearing bilirubin properly. Elevated levels of indirect bilirubin

may indicate other problems

.

Is indirect bilirubin dangerous?

Infant jaundice

In an infant, high (usually indirect) bilirubin and jaundice

can be very dangerous

and may be caused by several factors. There are three common types: physiological jaundice: at two to four days after birth, caused by a brief delay in the functioning of the liver and usually not serious.

What is the cause of high indirect bilirubin?

Common causes of higher indirect bilirubin include:

Hemolytic anemia

. This means your body is getting rid of too many red blood cells. Bleeding into the skin caused by injury.

What is a dangerous level of indirect bilirubin in adults?

Typically, bilirubin levels fall somewhere between 0.3 and 1.2 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

Anything above 1.2 mg/dL

is usually considered high. The condition of having high bilirubin levels is called hyperbilirubinemia.

How do you reduce indirect bilirubin?

1. Stay hydrated. Staying hydrated helps lower bilirubin levels by facilitating the removal of waste from the body. …
2. Consume fresh fruits and vegetables. …
3. Increase your intake of fiber. …
4. Avoid alcohol.

Which bilirubin is dangerous direct or indirect?

Lower than normal bilirubin levels are usually not a concern. Elevated levels may indicate liver damage or disease. Higher than normal levels of direct bilirubin in your blood may indicate your liver isn’t clearing bilirubin properly. Elevated levels of

indirect bilirubin

may indicate other problems.

Which bilirubin is dangerous?

Unconjugated bilirubin is toxic

, but conjugated bilirubin is usually not, because it can be removed from the body, as long as nothing is interfering with its removal.

Can high bilirubin be treated?

There are no drugs to specifically treat increased bilirubin levels

, unless there is an infection, blockage or tumor. Treatment is aimed at correcting the underlying cause of increased bilirubin levels, and minimizing further damage to your liver, if damage is present.

Is 20 a high bilirubin level?

Half of babies have some jaundice. Usually it is mild. The level of bilirubin that is harmful is around 20. Reaching a level this

high is rare

.

What is the difference between direct and indirect bilirubin?

Some bilirubin is bound to a certain protein (albumin) in the blood. This type of bilirubin is called unconjugated, or indirect, bilirubin. In the liver, bilirubin is changed into a

form that your body can get rid of

. This is called conjugated bilirubin or direct bilirubin.

Can dehydration cause high bilirubin?

Bilirubin levels may increase with stress, strain,

dehydration

, fasting, infection or exposure to cold. In many individuals, jaundice is only evident when one of these triggers raises the bilirubin levels.

Can fatty liver cause high bilirubin?

Elevated serum bilirubin levels are

inversely associated

with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Is 13 a high bilirubin level?

John A. Widness, MD

Since 97% of term babies have serum bilirubin values <13 mg/dl, all infants with a serum bilirubin level >13 mg/dl require a

minimum work up

.

What foods to avoid if you have high bilirubin?

• Alcohol. Alcohol is toxic to most internal bodily tissues, including the liver. …
• Refined carbohydrates. …
• Packaged, canned, and smoked foods. …
• Saturated and trans fats. …
• Raw or undercooked fish or shellfish. …
• Beef and pork.

What is the normal range for indirect bilirubin?

Normal findings

Indirect bilirubin:

0.2-0.8 mg/dL

or 3.4-12.0 μmol/L (SI units) Direct bilirubin: 0.1-0.3 mg/dL or 1.7-5.1 μmol/L (SI units)

Is 1.9 high for bilirubin?

Normal Results

It is normal to have some bilirubin in the blood. A normal level is: Direct (also called conjugated) bilirubin: 0 to 0.3 mg/dL. Total bilirubin:

0.3 to

1.9 mg/dL.