Toxicology screening is most often done using a blood or urine sample. However, it may be done soon after swallowing the medication, using stomach contents that are obtained through gastric lavage or after vomiting.
For information on giving a blood sample from a vein, see venipuncture.
For information providing a urine sample, see clean catch urine sample. In some circumstances, you may need to provide the urine sample in the presence of the nurse or technician to verify that the urine sample came from you and was not tampered with.
How to prepare for the test
No special preparation is needed. If able, tell your health care provider what drugs (including over-the-counter medications) you have taken, including when and how much.
This test is sometimes part of an investigation for drug use or abuse. Special consents, handling and labeling of specimens, or other special procedures may be required.
How the test will feel
Blood test:
When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain, while others feel only a prick or stinging sensation. Afterward, there may be some throbbing.
Food poisoning (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Food poisoning is the result of eating organisms or toxins in contaminated food. Most cases of food poisoning are from common bacteria such as Staphylococcus or E. coli.Food poisoning can affect one person or it can occur as an outbreak in a group...Reviewer: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 03/05/2009
Methylmercury poisoning (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Methylmercury poisoning is brain and nervous system damage from the chemical methylmercury.Minamata Bay disease; Basra poison grain poisoning.Methylmercury is a type of mercury("quicksilver"), a metal that is liquid at room temperature. Most compo...Reviewer: Stephen C Acosta, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Date: 05/20/2008
Print
