AMMONIA:
Why Ammonia test?
CLINICAL INFORMATION :
AMMONIA is formed in the gut by the catabolism of proteins in the body. Since the end product ammonia being toxic is converted into a less toxic substance called urea is filtered from the blood by the kidneys excreted as urine. Due to liver disorders and kidney dysfunction, the concentrations of ammonia keep elevated and results in a condition known as hyperammonemia. When an excessive amount of ammonia enters CNS, the brain’s defenses are severely challenged. A complex molecular chain reaction is triggered when the brain is exposed to high levels of ammonia. Ammonia involves the short circuit transport of potassium (potassium is a vital electrolyte that is present as an important intracellular component inside the neurons for the functioning of nerves in the brain such as excitability) to glial cells inside the brain. It leads to cerebral dysfunction involving a spectrum of neuropsychiatric and neurological symptoms (impaired memory, shortened memory span, sleep-wake inversions, brain edema, intracranial hypertension, seizures, ataxia, and coma). The symptoms of high levels of ammonia are chest pain while breathing or cough, confusion or changes in mental awareness, productive cough with phlegm, fatigue, fever, sweat and shaking chills, hypothermia, weak immune system, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
General instructions:
Sample Requirement: Specimen - Blood sample drawn from the vein. Test Preparation: None.
NOTE - Sample for specimen collections may vary based on the patient’s condition/cases according to the patient’s presentingcomplaints / signs or symptoms:
SPECIMENREQUIREMENT (Special or Rare Cases) - As instructed and guided by Physician / Clinician / Pathologist / as per Laboratory’s requirements, according to procedures and protocols.
This Multi-Specialty Clinical Referral Laboratory RTDIAGNOSTICS provides precise and accurate tests with an extensive range of testing services to the medical centers to help in the diagnosis and identification of pathology in the test specimens for infectious diseases and also to evaluate the function of organ systems of the patient. It prevents further complications and helps to stabilize and restore health to near normalcy at the earliest without delay.
