Ammonia

What Affects the Test

Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:

• Smoking.
• Severe constipation.
• Eating a high-protein or a low-protein diet.
• Using medicines that increase blood ammonia levels, such as heparin, some diuretics (such as furosemide), acetazolamide, and valproic acid.
• Using medicines that decrease ammonia levels, such as neomycin, tetracycline, diphenhydramine, isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), and tranylcypromine (Parnate), heparin, and lactulose.
• Strenuous exercise just before the test.

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Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS	Last Updated: January 2, 2008
Medical Review:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Jerome B. Simon, MD, FRCPC, FACP - Gastroenterology
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