A tox screen test is a medical test used to identify and measure the presence of legal or illegal drugs in your body. It provides an approximate amount and type of drugs taken.
Purpose of a Toxicology Screen
A toxicology screen serves several important purposes:
- Drug Abuse Screening: To determine if someone is using drugs. According to the provided reference, the test can screen for drug abuse.
- Substance Abuse Monitoring: To track progress in individuals undergoing treatment for substance abuse.
- Evaluating Intoxication or Overdose: To help diagnose and manage cases of drug intoxication or overdose. The reference indicates that tox screens can be used to evaluate drug intoxication or overdose.
Types of Samples Used
Tox screens can be performed on various bodily fluids and tissues, including:
- Urine
- Blood
- Saliva
- Hair
- Sweat
How Quickly Can Results Be Obtained?
One advantage of toxicology screening is the speed at which results can be obtained. The reference notes that toxicology screening can be done fairly quickly.
Examples of Substances Detected
Tox screens can detect a wide range of substances, including:
- Alcohol
- Opioids (e.g., heroin, morphine, oxycodone)
- Barbiturates
- Benzodiazepines (e.g., Valium, Xanax)
- Amphetamines (e.g., Adderall, methamphetamine)
- Cocaine
- Marijuana
