A urine test is that test which is conducted by taking a sample of the patient’s urine for checking purposes in the laboratory. Urine tests are known to be among the commonest performed of all the medical tests. A toxicology urine screening is mainly performed on the urine or the blood but can even be done on gastric contents like the vomit, if it is done shortly post the substance being ingested. Urine sampling can be taken from a random sample where the patient is required to urinate into a vessel or container. In some circumstances, the person may need to take the urine sample in the presence of the nurse or technician. This is done to help verify that the sample came from him only and was not fouled or tampered with. This test is mainly done to evaluate any possible intentional or accidental overdose or even poisoning. This can be done when there is a requirement to evaluate the amount and the type of legal or illegal drugs that are used by the person. The test can also be performed to find the cause of acute drug toxicity, also to monitor any drug dependency, or to find out if there are any substances present in the body. However the test as a drug screen has a finite time frame after ingestion of the drug or before any of its various metabolites can then be detected.
Urine tests are done for various reasons and can help to provide the NHS healthcare professional or NHS doctor with a large range of information. NHS commonly uses urine tests to mainly diagnose or to even to rule out any particular conditions. They also use these tests to monitor a condition that already exists. Normally most urine tests allow the patient to drink and eat as usual prior to the test being conducted. This will be told specifically to the patient by the NHS doctor. But there are certain tests that need the patient to fast for a certain length of time prior to the test. The healthcare professional will tell you if there is any additional thing needed to be done in preparation to the test. The patient will need to go to the hospital where he gave the sample to get the test results. Once the urine samples have been taken they are sent away for the purpose of analysis by the Pathology Services in the NHS. Results from the tests are normally given within about 5 working days. Results for any urgent tests conducted can also be given within a day.
Submitted by N S on March 8, 2010 at 11:04