The main step in the rapid treatment of any disease is diagnosis. Laboratory tests performed on time allow us to give the most accurate information about the course of the disease. To achieve this, preparatory measures are required. Most of our compatriots have a natural interest: how does ethanol affect the accuracy of the analyzes?
Does alcohol affect the blood test?
Alcohol can changeblood composition:
- reduce the number of red blood cells and indicators of hemoglobin,
- reduce urea content,
- lower lactate levels,
- reduce glucose levels,
- increase the percentage of triacylglycerols.
Alcohol can make your blood more viscous, increase your thrombosis rates. An increase in the number of adherent cells and red blood cells can be interpreted as megaloblastic anemia.
Blood chemistry shows the largest deviations if you drink alcohol before testing. A decrease in uric acid is a consequence of a violation of the circulatory mechanism. An increase in the concentration of triacylglycerols: indicates the presence of ischemia or hepatitis.
So that post-alcohol tests do not mislead doctors, receiving a referral, it is necessary to inform the specialist about this condition.
In addition to distorting test results, alcohol can distort the performance of devices in the laboratory. The effect of reagents on ethanol distorts the blood sugar level, making it impossible to start treatment for diabetes mellitus in time.
How Alcohol Affects Testing
Ethanol is not the main condition that must be removed before going to the laboratory. Not just smoking or eating before the test, drinking alcohol can reduce the accuracy of the instruments.
Distortion of the analysis under the influence of ethanol can render the diagnosis ineffective. The more alcohol you drink, the less objective the result will be.
General analysis
Exposure to alcohol can distort the results.Thus:
- destroy red blood cells,
- increase cholesterol levels sometimes by 80%,
- reduce hemoglobin levels, as the concentration of red blood cells also decreases.
If you drink alcohol immediately before this test, then the greater chance that the number of red blood cells (red blood cells that carry oxygen to all organs or tissues and return transport of carbon dioxide) will be reduced.
Alcohol dissolves the membranes of red blood cells, preventing their natural random movement and reducing repulsion. The red blood cells begin to stick together. Its concentration in plasma decreases, which leads to a decrease in hemoglobin parameters. The agglomeration of red blood cells leads to the appearance of blood clots and a decrease in blood microcirculation in the vessel.
Blood thickens after alcohol enters. Its ability to penetrate through the lumen of the capillaries decreases due to the appearance of clots. This situation is dangerous for the health and life of people and prevents a complete study of the composition of the blood.
In the liver, under the influence of alcohol, lipid production decreases. This reduces the characteristics of the plasma. Such indicators play an important role in the period in which the patient is preparing to operate. Accurate analysis is essential to ensure that the health of the patient is monitored when they have had a serious infectious disease or during the healing of large areas of wounds.
Blood tests that are takenin less than 12 hoursafter drinking alcohol, it can accurately show only general intoxication. The decrease in hemoglobin shows only megaloblastic anemia. But the doctor may refuse to make a diagnosis, referring to the recent intake of alcohol by the patient.
Biochemical indicators
Alcohol has the strongest effect on the biochemical blood test. This analysis is the most complete. With the help of him, you can find out which substances a person urgently needs, and which are many and an urgent need to reduce their concentration.
The result of biochemical research under the influence of alcohol changes.Thus:
- the amount of urea in the blood decreases,
- data on the absorption of oxygen by the cells of the body is violated,
- Quantitative indicators of glucose suffer.
This last factor can pose a threat to the life of the patient, since the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is late.
The background increase in urea is also caused by alcohol intake. Distorted indicators of its content can hide a serious circulatory disease, leading to hemorrhagic shock or acute heart failure. Since urea participates in the excretion of nitrogen, its increased concentration is a sign of gout and polyarthritis. The accuracy of the diagnosis can be satisfactory only with abstinence from alcohol prior to testing.
Drinking alcohol before the procedure can lead to increased triacylglycerol content in the bloodstream. This neutral fatty substance, found in the bloodstream, indicates pathological processes,such as:
- atherosclerosis,
- ischemia,
- cerebral artery thrombosis,
- viral hepatitis.
Most physicians, out of principle, exclude drugs containing alcohol from intake before drawing blood from a patient. But alcohol is believed to help detect the presence of an infectious disease. But even the smallest dose of ethanol distorts the test results and makes it unsuitable for the doctor.
According to the stories of nurses and doctors, most people do not confess to having consumed alcohol before the test. Another secondary factor that manifests itself when testing people who have been drinking alcohol the day before isis it so:
- Fainting,
- severe headaches
- nausea.
The volume of blood that is drawn from the body from a vein is negligible. Its loss is not a problem for a person. But if the patient goes to the tests after drinking alcohol, the metabolism is usually affected and the blood circulation in the brain is reduced.
Ingesting it from a vein can lead to a lack of oxygen in the brain. This can cause severe dizziness or fainting. After that, the patient may have a headache for a long time.
Alcohol intoxication can upset the digestive tract. The patient may vomit in the doctor's office or laboratory from the smell of alcohol or chlorine used for disinfection.
Glucose test
The study of the amount of glucose in the blood is necessary for people suffering from endocrine disorders. Blood is drawn from a finger. If the patient drank liquids containing alcohol before drawing blood, his blood thickens and the pressure drops. This makes it difficult to obtain blood and increases the risk of thrombosis.
Exposure to alcohol is a negative factor for liver cells. It also has a negative effect on laboratory equipment and reagents. This makes the result inaccurate. The sugar level can be increased or decreased in relation to the actual state of affairs.
One gram of alcohol can change the kcal number by 7 upwards, which is explained by the rapid penetration of ethanol into body tissues and fluids. Indicators of sugar in this case increase.
Alcohol becomes the cause of low sugar values.About 2. 5 hoursCarbohydrates in food provide stable blood glucose data. During the rest of the period, glucose is produced by the liver, which draws energy resources from the body. Alcohol disrupts normal metabolic processes and causes hypoglycemia.
Blood sugar levels return to normalafter 1 or 2 days. . . If the patient is at risk for diabetes mellitus, it is important to give the doctor a normal picture. In another case, the doctor will attribute high sugar levels to alcohol consumption. The period in which health can be improved will be missed.
Can I drink alcohol before the test?
In no case. Alcohol changes the test result. The most important thing is to completely abandon the consumption of liquids containing alcohol before a major operation.
Sometimes a small amount of alcohol can be drunk before testing. The doctor will discuss this condition with the patient at the appointment in one-on-one conversation.
But in any case, the recipient must stop drinking alcoholic beverages 48 hours before the analysis. During this period, the human body has a chance to recover.
When testing for HIV, hepatitis B or C, as well as syphilis, the period of time in which the patient must be completely sober increases to 72 hours. Otherwise, the analysis result will be distorted.
If the laboratory assistant or physician receives information that the patient drank before the tests, the blood donation is postponed. If the information appears later, the analysis is repeated when the acetaldehyde is no longer present in the bloodstream.
It is considered that the only possibility when alcohol will not affect the result is the alcohol intoxication analysis, which is carried out among vehicle drivers and some categories of workers. This test is carried out without preparation or warning to obtain an objective image. In any other case, you can only drink water before taking the test.