Muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy or MD is a set of inherited disorders characterized by skeletal muscle weakness and death of muscle cells and tissue. Muscular dystrophy is an inherited condition that manifests in symptoms such as frequent falls, drooping eyelids, loss of muscle size, delayed walking and muscle development. A person suffering MD has poor balance, waddling gait and respiratory difficulty. The symptoms tend to get worse over time. Muscle dystrophy can result in abnormally curved spine (scoliosis), low muscle tone (hypotonia) and arrhythmia. DNA blood test, CPK blood test and muscle biopsy is done to diagnose muscular dystrophy. Physical therapy helps gain some muscle strength and function. Surgery is often resorted to. Keeping active is essential to prevent quick degeneration.
CK blood test
A creatinine kinase test is a blood test that measures the levels of Creatinine phosphokinase (CPK). It is an enzyme found predominantly in the heart, brain and skeletal muscle. The CK blood test is commonly used to diagnose the existence of heart muscle damage. The CK blood test result shows an increase above normal in a person's blood test about six hours after the start of a heart attack. It reaches its peak in about 18 hours and returns to normal in 24 to 36 hours. When the total CPK level is substantially elevated, then it is indicative of injury or stress to heart, brain or skeletal areas. The small amount of CPK that is normally in the blood comes from the muscles. The CPK blood test also helps in cost-effective management of people with suspected coronary atherosclerosis. It also evaluates the extent of muscle damage caused by drugs, trauma or immobility. It is used in early detection of dermatomyositisand polymyositis. It is also used to distinguish malignant hyperthermia from a post operative infection. It helps to discover carriers of muscular dystrophy.
The normal range for Creatinine Kinase (CK or CPK) blood test:
Male: 38 - 174 units/L
Female: 96 - 140 units/L
Higher than normal CPK levels is indicative of the following conditions:
AST blood test
An Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) blood test measures the amount of AST enzyme in the blood. AST or Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transminase (SGOT) is found in high concentrations in heart muscle, liver cells, skeletal muscle cells, pancreas and kidneys, in red blood cells and to a lesser degree in other tissues. Usually an AST blood test is done at the same time as ALT blood test. The ratio of AST blood levels to ALT blood levels helps to determine whether any organ particularly the liver has been damaged. AST blood test is primarily used to diagnose and monitor diseases of the liver such as hepatitis and cirrhosis. AST blood test helps to monitor recovery from or treatement for liver disease. Normal range for a AST blood test is 8 - 35 units per liter (U/L) or 5 - 40 international units per liter (IU/L). AST levels in the blood rise when there is tissue damage. Very high levels of AST in the blood indicate possible tumor, pancreatitis, cancer, cirrhosis, muscular dystrophy or heart failure.
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