Your Guide to Blood Alcohol Testing Procedures
A blood alcohol test measures the percentage of alcohol in a blood sample. This test can measure your level of intoxication. It is often used for legal reasons, e.g., B. to test whether someone has been driving under the influence of alcohol.
A blood alcohol test is performed at a medical facility. The blood sample is sent to a laboratory for analysis and the results are not immediately available. In some cases, it can take weeks to get the results of a blood alcohol test. However, blood alcohol tests are more accurate than alternatives such as breathalysers and are much less likely to produce false positive results.
Why are blood alcohol tests used?
A blood alcohol test can check if a person has recently consumed alcohol. These tests can also show how much alcohol a person has consumed. There are several legal reasons a person may be asked to undergo one of these tests. This contains:
- to check if they were driving under the influence of alcohol
- to test if they drank while under the legal drinking age
- to test if they were intoxicated at the time of a car accident
- as part of the terms of parole or probation
- as part of a criminal investigation
- during a pre-employment assessment
- to test if they drank at work
- to check for alcohol intoxication so appropriate medical treatment can be administered
- as part of an alcohol treatment program
A blood alcohol test is carried out in a laboratory. If you need to take one, you will be asked to go to a medical centre to have blood drawn. This process is longer than the breathalyser test, which many people associate with breathalysers in situations like drink driving. However, blood tests are known to be more accurate.
How long does alcohol stay in the bloodstream?
Alcohol normally stays in the bloodstream for 6 to 12 hours. Factors such as metabolism, body weight, genetics, age, general health, medications taken, and the amount of food consumed that day can affect how long it takes for alcohol to leave your bloodstream.
Can a blood test indicate excessive alcohol consumption?
Blood tests can detect excessive alcohol consumption, but only within certain periods of time. A BAC test can show that you have been drinking within a 6-to-12-hour window. A CDT test can show excessive alcohol consumption over a 2-to-3-week period.
What can cause a false positive blood alcohol test result?
blood alcohol tests are much less prone to false positive results than breath tests, such as B. Breathalyzer. However, it is still possible for false positive results to occur. The most common reasons are blood samples that are improperly handled or contaminated during testing.
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