Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Alcoholism laboratory findings
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Laboratory Findings
Laboratory Findings
Urine and blood tests
There are reliable tests for the actual use of alcohol, one common test being that of blood alcohol content (BAC). These tests do not differentiate alcoholics from non-alcoholics; however, long-term heavy drinking does have a few recognizable effects on the body, including:
- Macrocytosis (enlarged MCV)1
- Elevated GGT²
- Moderate elevation of AST and ALT and an AST:ALT ratio of 2:1.
- High carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT)
However, none of these blood tests for biological markers are as sensitive as screening questionaires.
References
References
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]