Ethylene glycol blood test
This test measures the level of ethylene glycol in the blood.
Ethylene glycol is a type of alcohol found in many household products. It does not have color or odor. It tastes sweet. Ethylene glycol is poisonous . People sometimes drink ethylene glycol by mistake or on purpose as a substitute for drinking alcohol.
How the Test is Performed
A blood sample is needed.
How to Prepare for the Test
No special preparation is needed.
How the Test will Feel
When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel slight pain. Others feel a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away.
Why the Test is Performed
This test is ordered when a health care provider thinks someone has been poisoned by ethylene glycol. Drinking ethylene glycol is a medical emergency. Ethylene glycol can damage the brain, liver, kidneys, and lungs. The poisoning disturbs the body’s chemistry and can lead to condition called metabolic acidosis . In severe cases, shock, organ failure, and death can result.
Normal Results
There should be no ethylene glycol present in the blood.
What Abnormal Results Mean
Abnormal results are a sign of possible ethylene glycol poisoning.
Risks
There is very little risk in having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another, and from one side of the body to the other. Taking a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.
Other risks may include:
- Excessive bleeding
- Fainting or feeling lightheaded
- Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
- Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
