Born in Boston, the son of touring actors David Poe Jr. and Elizabeth Arnold Poe. When he was three years old, his parents died, and he was taken into the home of John Allan, a wealthy merchant in Richmond, Virginia, who renamed him Edgar Allan Poe. In 1826 he entered the University of Virginia, staying only one year, and running up large gambling debts that John Allan refused to pay.
It is found in almost all body tissues and can be measured by a simple blood test. Normal LDH levels are generally low and range between 140 IU/liter to 333 IU/ liter. Low LDH levels are usually no cause for concern. However, elevated LDH levels may indicate cell damage.
LDH is known by various names, LD, lactatic dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, LDH isoenzymes, or total LDH. LDH (consisting of five molecular forms of LDH) is an enzyme found in all cells and tissues of the body. This enzyme is released into the blood once there is trauma or damage to a tissue or organ. An LDH blood test is performed to detect and determine the extent of tissue disease or damage to the brain, kidney, muscles, liver, and lungs. It is performed in case of bone fractures, anemia, and cancers. This test can be called for if the doctor wants to ascertain or rule out organ disease or damage.