Patient education: Ammonia blood test (The Basics)

What is an ammonia blood test? — 

This is a test to check the level of ammonia in the blood. Ammonia is a substance the body makes. The liver breaks it down and turns it into a waste product called urea, which leaves the body in urine.

Certain health conditions can cause ammonia to build up in the blood. This can lead to serious brain problems.

Why might I get an ammonia blood test? — 

Your doctor might order this test:

●To help find the cause of symptoms that could be related to high ammonia levels

●To monitor your health if you are being treated for high ammonia levels

An ammonia test can also be used to check for certain serious health problems in newborn babies.

How do I prepare for an ammonia blood test? — 

You need to get a "blood draw." Your doctor or nurse will tell you where to go for this.

It might help to wear a short-sleeve shirt to your blood draw appointment. This makes it easier for the person drawing your blood to get to your arm.

What happens during a blood draw? — 

A needle is used to take a small amount of blood from your arm (figure 1). Collecting the blood only takes a few minutes. The blood is then tested in a lab.

Tell the person who takes your blood:

●If you take "blood thinner" medicines or have a bleeding problem – They will make sure your bleeding is under control before you leave.

●If you have a latex allergy – Some of the supplies used for blood draws might contain latex.

●If you have a preferred arm to use

Most of the time, getting blood taken does not cause problems. You might have a little soreness or bruising where the needle went in.

What do my results mean? — 

Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to expect your results, and will contact you with the results. Or if you use an online "patient portal," you might get an alert there when your results are ready.

If your ammonia level is high, your doctor or nurse will talk to you about what to do next. They might need to do more tests to figure out the cause.

If you do have a health problem, your doctor will work with you to come up with a treatment plan.

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