What Does It Mean to Have High or Low Albumin Levels?

When is a blood albumin test ordered?

An albumin test can be ordered for many reasons, usually, as a part of the liver panel to evaluate liver function. This can be done routinely, once or twice a year in a healthy patient or more often in patients with known liver disease. It can also provide evidence in anyone who displays liver disease signs and symptoms but have not been previously diagnosed.

Your doctor may order a serum albumin test if you display symptoms such as jaundice (yellow tone in the skin and eyes), dark urine, pale stools, weakness, fatigue, abdominal pain, and swelling.

Besides hepatic disease, doctors may recommend this test if you’re suspected of a nephrotic syndrome. Symptoms of a nephrotic syndrome include a reduction in urine volume, foamy or bloody urine, swelling in the face or around the eyes, flank pain, and high blood pressure.

Additionally, albumin levels are useful to assess the nutritional status of a patient. Patients with malnutrition may not be consuming enough dietary protein to synthesize enough albumin. Thus, the albumin count shows significant decrease.