What does it mean when your liver enzymes are high?

High liver enzymes could mean that there is damage or inflammation in the cells of the liver. The elevation can be acute, meaning a sudden injury to the cells, or chronic, indicating there is continuous damage to the liver.

The increase in liver enzymes occurs because the injured cells take in high amounts of certain chemicals. The enzymes that are usually elevated in the case of an injury include alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase, as stated by Mayo Clinic. The condition may be detected through a blood test. The common causes for the elevation include obesity, heart failure, alcoholism, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and certain medications.