Synonyms |
|
Alcohol,
Ethyl Alcohol, Grain Alcohol
|
Clinical
Indications |
|
Rarely
need in the Investigation of possible intoxication.
For urgent requests a serum osmolality is performed as this will reveal an
unexplained osmolar gap in the presence of ethanol (and also other alcohols
such as methanol, ethylene glycol)
Samples cannot be accepted for analysis of alcohol for legal
purposes (e.g. drink driving). Information
for patients on laboratories offering such a service is
available.
|
Request Form |
|
Combined Pathology Blood form
(Yellow/Black)
|
Availability |
|
Analysed by referral
laboratory if specific criteria met..
|
Specific
Criteria |
|
Agreed
with Consultant Biochemist or post-mortem samples.
|
Turnaround
Time |
|
3 to 4
days
|
Specimen |
|
Serum
|
Volume |
|
2 ml
|
Container |
|
Grey top
(Fluoride tube)
|
Lab. Handling |
|
Aliquot and store at 4°C.
(ALC & send; NOALC & save)
|
Causes for
Rejection |
|
Assay within previous month
|
|
Reference
Range |
|
The legal limit for driving a motor vehicle is
80 mg/dL blood
|
Poisoning |
|
Information
sheets on ethanol,
methanol
and ethylene
glycol poisoning are available from the National Poisons Service.
|
|
|
|