Blood Alcohol Testing
Overview
Alcohol abuse has increasingly become a major public health problem with far reaching consequences not only for the individuals concerned but for their families and for society as a whole.
It is estimated that 10% of the population have medical problems, both physiological and psychological, that can be attributed to the underlying abuse of alcohol. Over the years, there have been a number of biochemical tests developed that contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of alcohol consumption.
Alongside the general toxic effects alcohol has on cells in the body, heavy or prolonged use of alcohol can lead to more serious psychological damage such as: depression, aggression, dependency and impairment of judgment, all of which have detrimental effects for an individual’s
capacity to take care of dependants.
It is now possible to assess people who have been drinking heavily or using alcohol regularly (defined as at least 60 grams of alcohol per day) on a routine basis for a minimum of two or three weeks. Another method of detection is to perform a Liver Function Test (LFT), which assesses the variation of liver produced proteins in the blood in conjunction with a Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin (CDT) test that looks at a specific biochemical marker for alcohol consumption.
For the complete picture of alcohol abuse
| Blood alcohol testing vs. Traditional methods | ||
|---|---|---|
| Blood Alcohol Testing | Traditional Methods | |
| Window of detection | 2-4 weeks | < 72 hours |
| Regularity | Approximately once a month | Every three days |
| Results | False positives are eliminated | Risk of false positives |
| Collection | Trimega nursing-network | Unknown third party |
What happens when you drink alcohol?
When alcohol is consumed it is absorbed from the stomach and intestines into the bloodstream and is transported to the liver where the toxins can be processed and removed. The liver is the first organ that all the blood from the stomach and intestines enters before circulating throughout the rest of the body. So, the highest concentration of alcohol will be in the blood flowing through the liver making it more prone to its damaging effects.
In order to process (metabolise) the alcohol, liver cells contain enzymes (chemicals) that break down alcohol into other chemicals which in turn are then broken down into water and carbon dioxide. These are then passed out in the urine and from the lungs. The rate at which alcohol can be metabolised by liver cells varies from person to person, however within an individual it will be a fixed amount per hour. So, if you drink alcohol faster than your liver can deal with it, the level of alcohol in your bloodstream rises which can lead to damage of liver cells and three types of liver conditions - fatty liver, hepatitis (inflammation) and cirrhosis (scarring). Any, or all, of these conditions can occur at the same time in the same person.
Who can use this service?
Courts, social services, solicitors, local authorities
To assist with determination of parental capacity within child care proceedings.
Employees
To determine alcohol abuse of a 2-4 week period in potential or existing employees.
Rehabilitation Centres
To monitor ongoing alcohol usage and determine whether an individual is continuing to use alcohol.
Medical Practitioners
To speed up the lengthy NHS process to expedite results.
Blood alcohol testing is used in conjunction with the Trimega Hair Alcohol Testing package. Although some courts / employers request for this only, we recommend combining this with the Trimega FAEE-based Hair Alcohol Test to provide a complete picture (used as corroborative evidence).
Trimega's law enforcement clients currently use blood alcohol testing as a way to confirm screening of results found at the roadside for evidence in court.
Why Trimega?
- Cost effective: Competitive pricing policy
- Meeting deadlines: Results available within 7-10 business days from receipt of sample
- Dedicated client services' team, providing exceptional quality service
- Simple fast instruction process
- Hassle-free service: Fully co-ordinated sample collection service
- FREE sample collection materials
- Split-invoicing if requested
- Certified to ISO 9001: 2000 UK quality management systems in accordance with UKAS standards