Fasting Required: No
Specimen: Blood
Results: 1-2 Business Days
Description: Bilirubin is an orange-yellow pigment made when old red blood cells are broken down. It's ultimately processed by the liver to allow elimination from the body. Bilirubin attached to sugar is called “direct” or “conjugated” bilirubin, and bilirubin without sugar is called “indirect” or “unconjugated” bilirubin. All the bilirubin in your blood together is called “total” bilirubin. Measurement of bilirubin levels is used in the diagnosis and treatment of liver, hemolytic, hematologic, and metabolic disorders, including hepatitis and gall bladder obstruction. Levels may be elevated due to drug toxicity, liver diseases like hepatitis, Gilbert’s disease (a genetic disease affecting some families), cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), biliary stricture (part of the bile duct is too narrow to allow fluid to pass), cancer of the gallbladder or pancreas, or gallstones. Some symptoms related to high bilirubin involve jaundice, fatigue, itchy skin, dark urine, and low appetite.