Ammonia Single Reagent

Background

Ammonia enters the body in nitrogen-containing foods via the gastrointestinal tract and is excreted largely as urea in urine and asbacterial protein in feces. Ammonia, the end product of nitrogen metabolism is absorbed into the portal venous blood and after passing through the liver enters the systemic circulation. Normally about half the ammonia is extracted from the body by the skeletal muscle and about 16 % by the liver and brain. Clinically, the extraction of ammonia by individual organs has different implications.The hepatic conversion of ammonia to urea represents the primary mechanism of eliminating ammonia from the body. Conversely, the excessive uptake of ammonia by the brain results in ammonia intoxication, increased intracranial pressure and hepatic enceph-alopathy. Hyperammonemia in infants may be due to inherited deficiencies of the urea cycle enzymes or acquired through acute (as in Reye’s syndrome) or chronic (as in cirrhosis) liver disease.