A urine drug test, also known as a urine drug screen or a UDS, is a painless test. It analyzes your urine for the presence of certain illegal drugs and prescription medications. Alcohol can also be included in screening tests, but it’s usually detected through breath tests rather than urine screens..
Drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers test residents on a regular basis. This helps ensure that people receiving treatment for drug or alcohol abuse stay sober. If you’re on probation or parole for a drug- or alcohol-related offense, the officer in charge of your case may request random drug tests to verify your sobriety. Read: What Does A Faint Line On A Drug Test Mean?
When Would I Get Tested?
A legal reason for an alcohol test can be a police officer’s suspicion that you’re driving drunk or drinking underage. It’s also common after a car crash to see if alcohol played a role. You may also get one of these alcohol tests at work during random drug checks. If you have an accident on the job, your company might check whether alcohol was involved. These tests can be done with urine, blood, saliva, or breath samples. Medical reasons include if you come to a hospital or the ER passed out, confused, or showing other signs of heavy drinking. It helps doctors know what’s happening and how best to care for you. In addition, life insurance companies may ask for it when you apply for insurance. SEE:Is Alcohol A Stimulant Or Depressant?
Urine tests can detect alcohol long after you’ve had your last drink. These tests look for traces of alcohol metabolites. The average urine test can detect alcohol between 12 and 48 hours after drinking. More advanced testing can measure alcohol in the urine 80 hours after you drink.
Breath tests for alcohol can detect alcohol within a shorter time frame. This is about 24 hours on average. A small machine called a breathalyzer measures your BAC. Any number above 0.02 is considered unsafe for driving or other safety-based tasks. Alcohol can stay in your hair for up to 90 days. It can also temporarily be detected in saliva, sweat, and blood.
What Does EtG Mean On A Drug Test?
EtG stands for Ethyl glucuronide an alcohol biomarker detectable within urine samples. Several studies have observed that when assessed in urine, EtG can confirm the use of alcohol for up to five days depending on the cutoff level used and the amount of alcohol consumed.
EtG Test is regularly used to evaluate abstinence from alcohol consumption. The absence of heavy drinking is approved by The Federal Drug Administration as an endpoint for evaluating the efficacy of new pharmacological treatments for alcohol use disorders.
A “low” positive EtG test result of 500 to 1,000ng/mL depending on the cutoff level usually indicates that a person has been drinking heavily within the last one to three days or has been engaging in light drinking within the last 24 hours. On the other hand, a “high” positive EtG test of 1,000ng/mL or greater depending on the cutoff level may indicate heavy drinking on the same day or the previous day or Light drinking on the same day as the test.
EtG tests are usually conducted on urine but can also be run on blood, hair, or nails. EtG tests are used to ensure a patient is abstaining from alcohol if they are undergoing treatment for alcoholism, on probation, in DUI programs, if they are undergoing a liver transplant, in jobs that require sobriety, and in other circumstances where alcohol abstinence is critical. Abstinence from alcohol remains the best way of preventing the progression of liver injury, as well as prolonging the survival of patients with established cirrhosis.
Heavy drinking can take a heavy toll on your physical and mental health. When you quit drinking after years of misusing alcohol, not only will your body begin to reverse the effects of excessive alcohol, you will simply feel better, too.
One of the symptoms of an alcohol use disorder is giving up the social activities and hobbies you once enjoyed to focus on drinking. A sober life means having more time to rediscover yourself and your passions and build a new, exciting alcohol-free life. SEE: CDT Blood Test How To Pass?
