The most common way to detect the use of illegal drugs in a person’s system is through urine. It is the fastest and the most accurate method of drug testing. The process is quick, easy, painless and cost-effective. A doctor or a trained drug-screen collector usually asks for a urine sample for it to be analyzed. This will detect whether a person has used illegal drugs or prescription drugs in the past few days or weeks, even when the effects of the specific drugs have subsided.

Urine drug testing is commonly used in these circumstances: pre-employment, post-accident, random or periodic testing, probable cause, and DOT physicals. It can be requested for different reasons, such as to maintain a safe environment in a workplace or to detect if drug usage is the cause of an accident.

In this article, medical center in Hialeah will further discuss the types of drugs that can be detected, the process of urine drug testing and how to prepare for the test.

Types of drugs that can be detected by urine drug testing

The list of drugs that can be detected with a urine drug test includes:

• Opioids
• Amphetamines
• Cocaine
• Methamphetamine
• Marijuana
• Barbiturates
• Phencyclidine (PCP)
• Barbiturates
• Alcohol

Urine drug testing can also detect the level of alcohol that is present in a person’s body. But, if a person suspects alcohol consumption, a breath or blood test is the proper test for that. Nicotine and cotinine can also be detected in a urine test.

Process of urine drug testing

The urine sample is often being analyzed by a doctor or trained drug test collector. There are two types of a urine drug test in Hialeah, which include:

• Immunoassay (IA) test: This is the most common type of urine drug testing. AI urine drug test is the quickest and the most cost-effective. The only downside is that it can give a false-positive result.

• Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS): This type of urine drug testing can confirm the result from the IA test. The GC-MS method is more reliable and can detect a number of other types of drugs.

GC-MS is often used for follow-ups because it is more expensive than IA and the results may take longer to be delivered.

The urine drug test has its own certain cut-off level, which means that it will only turn out positive if the amount of drug exceeds a certain level. This helps prevent inaccurate positive results, which can rarely occur even when a person has not taken any type of drugs, but has consumed foods that contains a huge amount of hemp, coca, or opium.

One example is eating poppy seeds before the urine drug test. Consuming poppy seeds can rarely result in a drug test detecting the presence of opium. The United States Anti-Doping Agency advises people to no eat poppy seeds before their urine drug test.

Preparation for the urine drug test

The preparation for a urine drug test is very simple. The collectors usually ask a sample of your urine in a plastic container. But, before that, they may ask you to do the following:

Inform the test provider if you are taking any of the following information:

• Prescribed medications

• Over-the-counter drugs
• Supplements
• Herbal medications

After which they may ask you to:

• Empty out your pockets
• Remove extra clothing and objects such as bags, purse and cats
• Wash your hands with antibacterial soap
• Clean your private part using wipes, which will be provided

Then they will instruct you to:

• Urinate into the plastic container they’ve provided, until the required level
• Cover it with the lid and give it back to the technician

Once the urine sample is submitted, the doctor or trained technician will analyze the urine sample. You should receive the results within a few days or on the same day.  

A Drug test in Hialeah provides a fast, accurate drug testing results. Scheduling a Drug Screen in Hialeah has never been easier. You can simply “walk in” without an appointment – or alternatively you can Schedule an Appointment Online.

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.