Where is lactate dehydrogenase

A health professional will usually draw the blood from a vein. For an infant, the blood may be obtained by puncturing the heel with a small needle lancet. If the blood is being drawn from a vein, the skin surface is cleaned with antiseptic, and an elastic band tourniquet is placed around the upper arm to apply pressure and cause the veins to swell with blood.

A needle is inserted into a vein usually in the arm inside of the elbow or on the back of the hand and blood is withdrawn and collected in a vial or syringe.

After the procedure, the elastic band is removed. Once the blood has been collected, the needle is removed and the area is covered with cotton or a bandage to stop the bleeding. Collecting the blood for the test will only take a few minutes. Either method heel or vein withdrawal of collecting a sample of blood is only temporarily uncomfortable and can feel like a quick pinprick.

Afterward, there may be some mild bruising, which should go away in a day or so. The blood sample will be processed by a machine.

The results are commonly available within a day or two. The LDH test is considered a safe procedure. However, as with many medical tests, some problems can occur with having blood drawn, like:.

Medicines with ascorbic acid vitamin C can decrease your LDH levels. Alcohol also can affect your LDH levels. You don't need to get ready for this test. Be sure your healthcare provider knows about all medicines, herbs, vitamins, and supplements you are taking.

This includes medicines that don't need a prescription and any illegal drugs you may use. Search Encyclopedia. Lactate Dehydrogenase Blood Does this test have other names? LDH What is this test? Why do I need this test? What other tests might I have along with this test? What do my test results mean? How is this test done? Does this test pose any risks? What might affect my test results? Symptoms will vary depending on the type of tissue damage you have. A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle.

After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes. LDH is sometimes measured in other body fluids, including fluids in the spinal cord , lungs, or abdomen. If you are having one of these tests, your health care provider will give more information about the procedure.

There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.

Higher than normal LDH levels usually means you have some type of tissue damage or disease. Disorders that cause high LDH levels include:. Although the test can show if you have tissue damage or disease, it does not show where the damage is located.

If your results showed higher than normal LDH levels, your provider may need to order more tests to make a diagnosis. One of these tests may be an LDH isoenzyme test. It can help your provider find out about the location, type, and severity of tissue damage. Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.