Medication Monitoring

Drug Monitoring, Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

What Affects the Test

Factors that can interfere with your test or the accuracy of the results include:

• The time between when the medication was first taken and the blood test. For example, if the test should be done when the medication level is lowest, taking a dose of the medication just before the blood sample is taken can cause a falsely high result.
• Medications other than the one or ones being monitored. This can include other prescription and non-prescription medications or drugs such as alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine.

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Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC	Last Updated: February 20, 2007
Medical Review:	Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine Donald Sproule, MD, CM, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine R. Steven Tharratt, MD, MPVM, FACP, FCCP - Pulmonology, Critical Care, Medical Toxicology
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