In message <F12FCA4A7E90D01183180060971F354E0483B5@EXCHANGE1>, Waise
Ahmed (RCA) <[log in to unmask]> writes
>
> the Lab is often asked to analyse levels on patients in whom the
> time of ingestion could not be determined. What is causing some
> irritation is that if parecetamol (acetaminophen) is undetectable,
> the lab is asked for another check after four hours.We have not
> come across a detectable levels in these circumstances yet. But are
> we correct if we were to refuse analysing these repeat specimens
> for paractamol? I am sure others would have come across this one as
> well.
>
>
> Best wishes
> ===========================================
> Ahmed Waise MRCP FRCPath
> Cosultant Chemcial Pathologist
> Friarage hospital,
> Northallerton, North Yorks
> DL6 1JG
>
> Tel 01609 763030
> Fax 01609 764632
> EMail: [log in to unmask]
>
> ==========================================
If I take paracetamol for a headache I expect it to work within half an
hour or so, therefore there should be an appreciable blood level at this
point. Thus if you can't detect paracetamol on admission it is either
far too late to find it, or the patient hasn't taken any. So it appears
to me that there's no justification for a repeat. Sadly, it's back to
the "advice from centres of excellence (namely Guy's Poisons Unit)"
theme, since their on-call medics seem to recommend this!! But we've
had moans about them before!
--
Michael Colley
Dr. C. M. Colley
Dept. Chemical Pathology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Swindon SN1 4 JU
email: [log in to unmask]
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