Think a high AST or ALT means your patient’s liver is failing? Think again. Liver function tests are one of the most misunderstood panels in clinical practice — often called "function" tests, yet many don’t measure function at all.
In this episode, we break down the real meaning behind LFTs, explore the different patterns of liver injury, and help you interpret these labs like a pro. Whether it’s differentiating between cholestasis and hepatocellular injury, or figuring out when to worry about that isolated bilirubin bump, we’ve got you covered with pathophysiology, clinical reasoning, and nursing implications.
🧠 Key Topics Covered:
Why “LFT” is often a misnomer
True measures of liver function: Albumin, PT/INR
Injury patterns:
Hepatocellular (↑ AST/ALT)
Cholestatic (↑ ALP/GGT)
Mixed patterns
Isolated hyperbilirubinemia
What each test actually tells you:
ALT/AST – hepatocellular enzymes
ALP/GGT – biliary obstruction clues
Bilirubin – excretory function vs hemolysis
Albumin, PT/INR – synthetic function markers
Common causes of abnormal labs:
Medications, alcohol, viral hepatitis, fatty liver, hemolysis, specimen error
How to link lab patterns to clinical conditions
When to escalate care or consult hepatology