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Are my ALT and ALS levels alarmingly high?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I recently had a routine blood work done, and my ALT level is 62 and ALS level is 82. All other levels were normal. I am on Lexapro. Are these levels alarming? Do I need a drastic change in my diet?
Answered by Dr. Salah Saad Hassan Shoman

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Salah Saad Hassan Shoman is a General Medicine Specialist. He can diagnose and treat a wide range of acute and chronic medical conditions. He can manage lifestyle disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. He can provide preventive healthcare, health screenings, and immunizations. He can provide patient counseling on nutrition, exercise, and mental well-being. He can provide interpretation of diagnostic tests and laboratory reports. He help to manage respiratory, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular diseases.  

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Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

  • Your ALT and AST levels are mildly elevated, which indicate the presence of mild fat deposits in the liver. I would recommend that you get an ultrasound of the liver done.
  • Follow a low-fat diet by avoiding fried food, cooking oils, and fast food. Also, you should exercise for half an hour every day. Repeat the tests after a month.

For further queries consult an internal medicine physician online.

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

Thanks for the quick reply. Can Lexapro cause these levels to be elevated? Are these levels very concerning or very mild?

Answered by Dr. Salah Saad Hassan Shoman

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Salah Saad Hassan Shoman is a General Medicine Specialist. He can diagnose and treat a wide range of acute and chronic medical conditions. He can manage lifestyle disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. He can provide preventive healthcare, health screenings, and immunizations. He can provide patient counseling on nutrition, exercise, and mental well-being. He can provide interpretation of diagnostic tests and laboratory reports. He help to manage respiratory, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular diseases.  

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Consult other doctors in the same speciality

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

  • These levels are only mildly elevated but need to be monitored at regular intervals.
  • Lexapro (Escitalopram) can cause liver enzymes levels to be elevated, but this is uncommon and occurs in less that 1 % of the cases. Lexapro can cause hepatitis, which in turn causes elevated enzymes, but elevated enzymes due to hepatitis are often far more elevated than what your test results show. That is the reason I asked you to repeat the tests after a month of low-fat diet and exercise. If after a month the levels are still high, then I suggest you discontinue Lexapro.

For more information consult an internal medicine physician online.

Medically reviewed by iCliniq medical review team
Published At June 15, 2017
Reviewed At April 20, 2025

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Salah Saad Hassan Shoman is a General Medicine Specialist. He can diagnose and treat a wide range of acute and chronic medical conditions. He can manage lifestyle disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. He can provide preventive healthcare, health screenings, and immunizations. He can provide patient counseling on nutrition, exercise, and mental well-being. He can provide interpretation of diagnostic tests and laboratory reports. He help to manage respiratory, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular diseases.  

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Consult other doctors in the same speciality

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Salah Saad Hassan Shoman
Dr. Salah Saad Hassan Shoman

Internal Medicine

Consult this doctor

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Salah Saad Hassan Shoman is a General Medicine Specialist. He can diagnose and treat a wide range of acute and chronic medical conditions. He can manage lifestyle disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. He can provide preventive healthcare, health screenings, and immunizations. He can provide patient counseling on nutrition, exercise, and mental well-being. He can provide interpretation of diagnostic tests and laboratory reports. He help to manage respiratory, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular diseases.  

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Consult other doctors in the same speciality
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