Metrix BioMed Opens Toxicology Lab To Further Understanding Of Clia Waived Tests

Online, August 30, 2011 (Newswire.com) - A toxicology test checks blood or urine for the presence of drugs or chemicals. In rare cases, stomach contents, sweat, or saliva may also be checked.

Drugs can be accidentally or deliberately swallowed, inhaled, injected, or absorbed through a skin surface or mucous membrane. These include prescription medicines, nonprescription medicine (such as aspirin or acetaminophen), vitamins, nutritional supplements, alcohol, and illegal drugs, such as cocaine and heroin.

A toxicology test may check for one specific drug or for up to 30 different drugs at once. Testing is often done on a urine sample instead of blood, because urine tests are usually easier to do than blood tests and many drugs show up in the urine. Also, traces of a drug may remain in urine for longer than in blood. Metrix BioMed and Metrix Labs have also introduced Saliva drug screening which are confirmed via GC/MS, LC/MS, and LC/MS/MS equipment, one of the first major labs to do so.

Why It Is Done

A toxicology test ("tox screen") can be done to:

Help find the cause of life-threatening symptoms, unconsciousness, or bizarre behavior in an emergency situation. It is usually done within 96 hours (4 days) after a drug may have been taken. The toxicology test is used to find out if symptoms may be caused by a drug overdose. Both a urine sample and a blood sample may be tested.
Test for drug use in the workplace, especially for people who are involved with public safety, such as bus drivers or child care workers. A toxicology test may also be a normal part of the application procedure for some jobs. This may be done on either a blood or urine sample.

Many medicines may change the results of this test. Be sure to tell your doctor about all the nonprescription and prescription medicines you take. Make a list of any medicines (prescription and nonprescription), herbal supplements, vitamins, and other substances you are taking or have taken in the past 4 days.

Metrix BoMed and Metrix Labs are a zero recourse provider, and work with CLIA waived and Moderately complex physician offices in Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, New York, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio.