Gastrin blood test

A blood sample is needed.

Certain medicines may affect the results of this test. Your doctor will tell you if you need to stop taking any medicines. Do not stop taking any medicine before talking to your doctor.

Medicines that can increase gastrin measurements include antacids, H₂ -blocking agents (such as cimetidine), and proton pump inhibitors (such as omeprazole).

When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging sensation. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away.

Gastrin is the main hormone that controls the release of acid in your stomach. When there is food in the stomach, gastrin is released into the blood. As the acid level rises in your stomach and intestines, your body normally makes less gastrin.

Your doctor may order this test if you have signs or symptoms of a problem linked to an abnormal amount of gastrin. This includes peptic ulcer disease.

Normal values are generally less than 100 picograms/milliliter (pg/mL) or 48.10 picomoles per liter (pmol/L).

Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test result.

Too much gastrin causes severe peptic ulcer disease. A higher than normal level may also be due to:

• Chronic kidney disease
• Long-term gastritis
• Over-activity of the gastrin-producing cells in the stomach (G-cell hyperplasia)
• Helicobacter pylori infection of the stomach
• Use of antacids or medicines to treat heartburn
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, a gastrin-producing tumor that may develop in the stomach or pancreas

Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.

Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight but may include:

• Excessive bleeding
• Fainting or feeling lightheaded
• Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
• Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)