What Causes Abnormal Albumin Levels?

Abnormal albumin levels can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'needs attention' to 'critical'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.

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Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose abnormal albumin levels, we could:

Research the topic
Find a doctor with the time
Use a diagnostic computer system.

The process is the same, whichever method is used.

Step 1: List all Possible Causes

We begin by identifying the disease conditions which have "abnormal albumin levels" as a symptom. Here are four possibilities:

Cirrhosis Of The Liver
Ulcerative Colitis
Nephrotic Syndrome
Heart Disease

Step 2: Build a Symptom Checklist

We then identify all possible symptoms and risk factors of each possible cause, and check the ones that apply:

moderate epigastric pain

brittle hair

African ethnicity

tonsils/adenoids out before age 20

red palms/fingertips

severe abdominal pain

scrotal edema

sleeping more than necessary

long-term hypertension

excessive flatulence

suspected liver cirrhosis

past vaccinations

... and more than 80 others

Step 3: Rule Out or Confirm each Possible Cause

A differential diagnosis of your symptoms and risk factors finds the likely cause of abnormal albumin levels:

Cause	Probability	Status
Ulcerative Colitis	90%	Confirm
Heart Disease	14%	Unlikely
Nephrotic Syndrome	0%	Ruled out
Cirrhosis Of The Liver	0%	Ruled out

* This is a simple example to illustrate the process

Arriving at a Correct Diagnosis

The Analyst™ is our online diagnosis tool that learns all about you through a straightforward process of multi-level questioning, providing diagnosis at the end.

If you indicate having had recent lab tests, The Analyst™ will ask further questions including this one:

Albumin. Unit: g/dL [g/L]

Possible responses:

→ Don't know
→ Under 3.8 [38] (very low)
→ 3.8 to 4.2 [38-42] (low)
→ 4.3 to 5.0 [43-50] (normal)
→ Over 5.0 [50] (high)

Based on your response to this question, which may indicate hypoalbuminemia, normal albumin levels or hyperalbuminemia, The Analyst™ will consider possibilities such as:

Cirrhosis of the Liver

Coronary Disease / Heart Attack

Hypoalbuminemia can be caused by certain heart conditions such as congestive heart failure or pericarditis that lead to low albumin levels in the blood.

Nephrotic Syndrome

Ulcerative Colitis

Concerned or curious about your health? Try The Analyst™