Toxicology Tests

Drug Screening Test

Results

A toxicology test examines blood, saliva, or urine for the presence of drugs. Most toxicology tests determine only the presence of drugs (called qualitative testing) in the body and not the specific level or quantity. Follow-up testing is often required to determine the exact level of a certain drug in the body (called quantitative testing) and to confirm the results of initial testing.

Toxicology tests

Normal:	No unexpected drugs are found in the blood or urine.
	Levels of prescription or nonprescription medicines found in the blood or urine are within the effective (therapeutic) range.
Abnormal:	Unexpected drugs are found in the blood or urine.
	Levels of prescription or nonprescription medicines found in the blood or urine are too low or too high to be effective (therapeutic) or potentially toxic, if too high.

High values

High levels of prescription or nonprescription medicines may be caused by a drug overdose, either accidental or intentional. A drug overdose may be caused by one large dose of medicine or long-term overuse of a medicine. A high level may mean that a person is not taking his or her medicine correctly or that the medicine is not being properly processed by the body.

Low values

Low levels of prescription or nonprescription medicines may mean that a person is not taking his or her medicine correctly.

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Author:	Jeannette Curtis	Last Updated: May 9, 2008
Medical Review:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine R. Steven Tharratt, MD, MPVM, FACP, FCCP - Pulmonology, Critical Care, Medical Toxicology
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