What Does High AST Mean?
High AST can come from multiple organs — liver, heart, or skeletal muscle.
Common Causes
- Liver disease — hepatitis, cirrhosis, fatty liver
- Heart attack — AST released from damaged cardiac muscle
- Skeletal muscle damage — exercise, rhabdomyolysis
- Hemolysis
- Pancreatitis
AST:ALT Ratio
- Above 2:1 = suggests alcohol-related liver disease
- Below 1:1 = more typical of viral hepatitis or NAFLD
- Approximately 1:1 = non-specific
Next Steps
- Check ALT alongside AST
- GGT to confirm liver source
- Viral hepatitis panel if indicated
- Repeat if temporary cause suspected
Source: NLM MedlinePlus, American Association for Clinical Chemistry.
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