The Lab's Role in Monitoring Opiate Medication

To prevent fatal drug overdose, monitor appropriate medication use and asses the possibility of addiction. Laboratory measurement of opioid drug concentration is necessary using appropriate laboratory methods. When we test for opiates we assess the patient's compliance with prescription and we look for the presence of non-prescribed or illicit opioids.

Confirmed absence of the prescribed drug is interpreted as "diversion" or the illegal sale of prescription medication, while the presence of non-prescribed drugs may be a sign of addiction, and either one can lead to discharge from the treatment program. Compliance with treatment guidelines is only proven if the patient has the prescribed drug in his/her body while he/she does not have any non-prescribed narcotics on board.

Read more:
The Lab's Role in Monitoring Pain Medication

Source: Advanced


Art and Science of Laboratory Medicine

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