A blood amylase test may be ordered when a person has signs or symptoms of a pancreatic disorder, such as:
Severe upper abdominal pain that radiates to the back or feels worse after eating,
Fever,
Loss of appetite,
Nausea, vomiting,
Yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice),
Rapid pulse
Loose, fatty, foul-smelling, stools (steatorrhea).