EMT Patient Assessment Practice Test

Jaundice shows up when bilirubin, a pigment from red blood cell breakdown, builds up in the blood because the liver isn’t processing or excreting it properly. The liver normally conjugates bilirubin and sends it into the bile; if the liver is damaged or bile flow is blocked, bilirubin accumulates, coloring the skin and the whites of the eyes yellow. So the underlying condition this indicates is liver disease or dysfunction. Diabetes, kidney failure, or dehydration don't typically cause jaundice because they don’t directly disrupt bilirubin processing or bile excretion in the absence of liver involvement.