High lipase: what it means and what to do

High lipase means there is more of this pancreas enzyme in your blood than usual. If you have strong pain in the upper belly, it can be acute pancreatitis: call 112 or go to the emergency department. If you feel well, a mild rise often has a harmless cause, but it is worth working out with your doctor.

What high lipase means

Lipase comes almost entirely from the pancreas. It rises when the pancreas is inflamed, but also when your kidneys clear it less well or with other belly problems.

Two things count: how high it is and how you feel. More than three times above the limit, with strong belly pain, is the typical picture of acute pancreatitis.

With no pain, a mild rise is common. Many people have slightly high lipase for years with no disease at all.

Causes of high lipase

The first ones involve the pancreas, the others do not.

Symptoms of high lipase

High lipase on its own causes no symptoms. If there are any, they come from the cause. Those of acute pancreatitis are:

With these symptoms, call 112 or go to the emergency department. Do not wait for your next test.

High lipase without pancreatitis

It can turn up high on a routine test, with no pain at all. In that case your doctor usually repeats the test and checks your kidneys.

If it stays high with no symptoms, your doctor may ask for an ultrasound or an MRI scan of the pancreas, to rule out a disease.

When the tests find nothing, it is usually a benign condition. In a study that followed such people for many years, none of them had pancreatitis.

Which tests to look at together

These tests help work out where it comes from.

What your result means

The upper part of the scale, in U/L. If your report has a limit other than 60, that is the one that counts.

What to do if your lipase is high

It depends on how you feel. Where to start:

If you take medicines, do not stop them on your own: ask your doctor whether they could play a part.

High lipase: when to worry

Watch for these cases:

Frequently asked questions

High lipase: when should I worry? Straight away if you have strong belly pain: call 112 or go to the emergency department. With no pain, a value more than three times the limit needs your doctor soon. A mild rise should be rechecked, without alarm.

Can lipase be high without pancreatitis? Yes. Kidneys that filter less, bowel problems, uncontrolled diabetes, some medicines and macrolipase raise it without pancreatitis.

High lipase with normal amylase: what does it mean? It can happen in pancreatitis too, because lipase stays high for longer. With no pain, it often has other causes. Your doctor decides whether more tests are needed.

The higher the lipase, the worse the pancreatitis? No. The value helps make the diagnosis, but it does not say how severe the pancreatitis is. For that, doctors look at how you are and at other tests.

What should I eat with high lipase? If there is no pancreatitis, you do not need a special diet. Drinking less alcohol always helps. After pancreatitis, follow your doctor’s advice.

How long does it take to come down? After pancreatitis, it usually falls within days or weeks. If it is high with no disease, it can stay that way for a long time. Your doctor decides when to recheck it.

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