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Drug screening tests include urine, blood, saliva, and hair tests. The five-panel test detects the presence of five commonly abused drugs, while the 10-panel test includes more drugs. Urine tests are the most widely used and inexpensive, while blood tests are the most accurate. Hair tests can provide a longer history of drug use, but may not detect recent use.
The most common drug screening tests used to detect substances in the body are urine tests and blood tests. Drug screening tests using hair fibers and saliva may also be performed. Some drug tests are completed in a laboratory, doctor’s office, or hospital setting, but many drug tests can be done anywhere. Sometimes people buy home drug tests to check their own results or those of someone else in the house.
For the most basic type of drug test, a five-panel drug screening test can be used. Detects the presence of the five most abused street drugs. Typically, the five-panel test includes the detection of cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, opiates, and phenylcyclohexylpiperidine (PCP), also known as “angel dust.”
A more comprehensive test is aptly called the 10-panel drug screen. Detection of drugs such as methamphetamines, methadone, barbiturates, benzodiazepines and tricyclic antidepressants are normally included in this type of test. Drugs detected in a five-panel drug screen are also detected in the 10-panel test.
Urine tests are the most widely used and inexpensive drug screening method. Fast results, usually in less than 10 minutes, make urine testing quick and convenient. The urine test will show which, if any, of the drugs tested are in the subject’s system.
Urine testing is ideal for detecting drugs in the body, but it does not specify how long ago the patient took the drug. It won’t even show if he was under the influence at the time the urine sample was given. Urine tests can detect medications for most substances within two to three days of using them. Marijuana can be detectable for a longer period of time.
Saliva tests can usually give the same results in the same amount of time as urine drug screening tests. Results appear on the test stick within minutes. In the event of a positive reading, however, the sample must be sent to a laboratory. Confirmation of a positive result can take several days. For this reason, it is not used as commonly.
Blood tests are the most accurate form of drug screening tests. They are also the most invasive. These tests can check for all types of drugs, alcohol and even tobacco. Unlike urine testing, a blood test can usually determine whether the patient was under the influence of drugs at the time of the test. A blood test is often used in hospitals to assess whether the patient is under the influence, especially after a serious accident.
Drug screening tests on strands of hair are not as common as urine or blood tests. These tests work by analyzing a strand of the patient’s hair for traces of certain medications. The hair sample is typically taken from the head, but can come from anywhere on the body.
Depending on the length of the hair sample, several years of drug history can be obtained. Tiny traces of drug molecules naturally build up in the hair strand over time. The laboratory can calculate which drugs were ingested, how long ago, and how much drug was taken. Hair testing is more effective in determining a longer history of drug use, but may fail to detect more recent drug use.
