Lab marker · High

High Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP): what it means

A Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) result above the normal range is considered high. Here is what a raised Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) can point to, and when it is worth discussing with a doctor.

Reference range: reference varies by assay (often <30 pmol/L); a markedly high level suggests a VIP-secreting tumour (VIPoma) causing profuse watery diarrhoea and low potassium

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What a high Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) can mean

  • VIPoma — the key use; a VIP-secreting neuroendocrine tumour, usually of the pancreas, causing profuse watery diarrhoea.
  • WDHA syndrome — the associated picture: watery diarrhoea, low potassium and low stomach acid.
  • Rarely, other neuroendocrine tumours — can occasionally secrete VIP.

When to discuss with a doctor

Blood VIP is a highly targeted specialist test, not a routine one — it is ordered in the specific setting of severe, persistent, watery diarrhoea that continues despite fasting and is often accompanied by a low potassium, once the common causes have been excluded. A markedly high fasting level in that context suggests a VIPoma, a rare tumour needing specialist diagnosis (with imaging) and treatment, alongside urgent correction of the fluid and potassium losses, which can themselves be dangerous. Mediora.AI can surface a raised VIP and the accompanying low-potassium pattern from your results and flag it for review, but confirming a VIPoma is a specialist assessment — the interpretation belongs with your doctor.

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Mediora.AI is informational - interpretation, not a diagnosis. A single out-of-range value is common and often benign; always discuss decisions with your doctor.