Increased Bilirubin Levels

Diarrhea and Yellow Skin in an Infant

Diarrhea is a relatively common occurrence in an infant. However, when this condition occurs in conjunction with jaundice, a yellowing of the skin, organ failure could possibly occur. Several conditions and diseases may be responsible for these...

Oral Contraception Contraindications

Oral contraceptives effectively prevent pregnancy over 99 percent of the time when used properly. Most pills combine synthetic estrogen and synthetic progesterone, or progestins, in varying combinations. Oral contraceptives are classified by the...

Jaundice Risk for Newborns

Many newborns experience jaundice during the first few days or weeks of life. If your newborn has yellowing skin on his face spreading to his legs and torso, he likely has jaundice. In some cases, jaundice in infants is easily treated, but in...

Foods to Avoid With Gilbert's Syndrome

Gilbert's syndrome is a common genetic disorder that can cause jaundice, a condition in which the high amount of bilirubin in the bloodstream makes the eyes and skin have a yellowish color. The jaundice will not usually lead to any problems. It...

Goldenseal Root as a Detoxifier

Goldenseal is an herbal remedy made from the Hydrastis canadensis plant, which was first used for medicinal purposes by Native American tribes. Goldenseal is best known for its use in preventing or treating common colds and flu, but it may also...

What Causes Jaundice in a Baby?

Jaundice is the name for the yellowish color of the skin and eyes that may develop in newborn babies. It occurs because bilirubin, which is a substance produced by the normal breakdown of older red blood cells, is not able to be cleared by the...

Can Calcium Supplements Cause Gallstones?

Calcium supplements cause gallstones. However, gallstones made of calcium are generally rare in adults. According to a 2007 article in the "Journal of Pediatric Surgery," gallstones made of calcium account for 5 to 30 percent of gallstones. The...

Oxycodone/APAP Side Effects

Oxycodone with APAP (also called acetaminophen) is a prescription medication available in oral tablet form. It's a controlled substance sold generically and under the brand name Percocet. Oxycodone with acetaminophen is indicated for moderate to...

Hepatitis B Virus Symptoms

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by a viral infection. One of the viral infections that may occur in the liver is hepatitis B. This contagious virus can spread from person to person by touching infected body fluids. The infection...

How to Diagnose Jaundice

Jaundice is a yellowish discoloration of the skin and the whites of the eyes. This color can also be seen in conjunctival membranes such as nostrils or inside of the mouth. Jaundice results from increased levels of bilirubin in the blood that...

Causes for Elevated Liver Functions

A liver function test is a blood test used to determine any disease, damage or impact on the liver. The health of the hepatic, or liver, system is reflected in this panel of tests that include clotting abilities, liver enzymes and bilirubin...

Chemo Effects on the Liver

Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that is used to destroy cancer cells. The American Cancer Society states that more than 100 different drugs may be used as part of a chemotherapy regimen. The medications are delivered intravenously or taken...

What Are the Causes of Jaundice in Newborns?

Red blood cells continually recycle in the body and when old cells die, the byproduct results in a yellow pigment called bilirubin. Normally, your liver processes it and removes it from the body via bowel movements. Without adequate excretion,...

Types of Hyperbilirubinemia

Hyperbilirubinemia refers to elevated bilirubin levels in the blood plasma. Bilirubin comes in two forms, water-soluble and water-insoluble. Water-soluble bilirubin is called conjugated bilirubin, and water-insoluble bilirubin is called...

What Are the Causes of Unconjugated Hyperbilirubinemia?

Red blood cells have a finite lifespan of approximately 3 months in the bloodstream. Once removed from the circulation, the liver and spleen break down the red blood cells, releasing unconjugated bilirubin. Liver cells process unconjugated...

Jaundice Risks

Jaundice is a condition that occurs when bilirubin, a yellow substance produced by the liver, accumulates within the body. Newborn infants with jaundice develop an unusual yellow discoloration of the skin and white of the eyes. Though mild,...

Symptoms of Elevated Bilirubin

Elevated levels of bilirubin may indicate that a person is having a problem with their blood count or with their liver function. In addition, infants may also have high bilirubin levels for a few days following birth. The symptoms of elevated...

Side Effects of Rx Retin-A Cream

Retin-A (tretinoin) cream is a prescription topical treatment for acne. It is usually applied to affected areas of the face one time per day, prior to bedtime. It is best to wash your face with a mild soap, pat it dry, and then wait 30 minutes...

Symptoms of CMV at Birth

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a virus that, once it infects a person, it remains in the body for life. CMV belongs in the herpes virus group with herpes simplex viruses, varicella-zoster virus (chickenpox) and Epstein-Barr Virus (infectious...

4 Ways to Spot Symptoms of Hemolytic Anemia

Hemolytic anemia, a medical condition which causes the premature destruction of red blood cells, can lead to cardiovascular collapse, heart disease and lung disease. One of the easiest ways to spot symptoms of hemolytic anemia is to check the...

What Are the Treatments for Elevated Bilirubin?

Bilirubin is a natural byproduct of the breakdown of red blood cells. It is usually processed by the liver and excreted along with the rest of the body's waste. It is normal to find bilirubin in the blood, but elevated levels can be a sign of...

Side Effects of Goldenseal Root

Goldenseal is a North American plant that's used in herbal medicine for the properties contained in its root and rhizomes. You can take goldenseal root to help treat a wide variety of ailments, including canker or cold sores, the common cold and...

Side Effects of Lopressor HCT

Lopressor and hydrochlorothiazide are sometimes combined into an oral medication for the treatment of increased blood pressure, or hypertension. HCT is a diuretic of the thiazide class, and lopressor is a beta1-selective blocker, which means it...

Signs & Symptoms of High Alkaline Phosphatase

Elevated alkaline phosphatase is associated with numerous signs and symptoms. According to Dr. Dicken Weatherby, a naturopathic physician and author of the textbook "Blood Chemistry and CBC Analysis," alkaline phosphatase is a group of isoenzymes...

3 Ways to Diagnose Hyperemesis Gravidarum in Pregnancy

Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) affects nearly 1 percent of all pregnant women. This disorder--which typically begins early in a woman's pregnancy, between the fourth and sixth weeks--is characterized by extreme nausea and vomiting. Hyperemesis...

Alkaline Phosphatase & Pancreatic Cancer

Although only around 32,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer develop each year, the cancer has a deadly track record, with a five-year survival rate of only 4 percent, according to the Robert Freelove, M.D. of the University of Kansas. At the time...

Causes of Jaundice in Infants

Jaundice is a condition marked by high levels of bilirubin in the blood. The increased bilirubin will cause an infant's skin, along with the whites of their eyes, to appear yellow. Several types of jaundice can cause brain and central nervous...

Complications of Infant Jaundice

Infant jaundice is a condition marked by high levels of bilirubin in the blood where the whites of the eye and skin turn yellow. When all is functioning properly, bilirubin, a byproduct of old red blood cells, is processed by the liver, excreted...

What Causes Elevated Bilirubin?

Bilirubin is a product that is formed when red blood cells are broken down or destroyed. It is an orange-yellow pigment that is responsible for the color associated with jaundice. Along with cholesterol and bile acids, bilirubin makes up bile,...