What it means
A liver enzyme, shortened to GGT. Its level rises when the liver or bile ducts are damaged or blocked, and with heavy alcohol use and some drugs. It helps show whether a high alkaline phosphatase comes from the liver (GGT also high) or from bone (GGT normal).
For the nurse
The client may be asked not to drink alcohol for a day or more before the test. Report a high level along with other liver tests.
At a glance
| Normal range | Varies by laboratory, age and sex; roughly 5–40 units/L [0.08–0.67 µkat/L] in adults. |
|---|---|
| Also written | GGT, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, gamma glutamyl transferase, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, GGTP |
Related terms
creatinine
A waste product of muscle that the kidneys remove from the blood; its blood level is used to measure how well the kidneys work.
blood urea nitrogen
A blood test that measures urea nitrogen, a waste product made when the body breaks down protein.