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The ALT test is a blood test that measures levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), a liver enzyme that is produced in higher amounts when the liver is inflamed. High ALT levels can be a sign of hepatitis C, but other conditions can also cause an increase in ALTs, including heart attacks, high triglyceride levels, and other forms of hepatitis.
On the other hand, many people with hepatitis C have fluctuating or normal ALT levels, so a normal ALT test does not necessarily mean that hepatitis C infection can be ruled out.
ALTs are measured in routine blood tests so if your annual blood work results indicate high ALT levels, this may alert your doctor to do further tests to find out the cause.
A higher than normal ALT level does not necessarily mean more serious disease.
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