Drinkers are tempted to drink alcohol before donating blood, what food is allowed before going to the hospital?
So that the results of the examination are not distorted and correspond to reality, it is necessary to adhere to a number of rules that the doctor usually brings to the patient. One of the most important requirements on the eve of blood tests is the absence of ethanol.
How alcohol can affect
Does alcohol affect the blood test and how to prepare for the test? A blood test is one of the most important, it allows you to assess the general condition of the body and make an accurate diagnosis, therefore, good preparation for blood collection and compliance with all recommendations of the attending physicianis a very important step which affects the outcome and should be taken seriously. The speed of recovery of the patient, the methods of treatment prescribed by the doctor directly depend on the results of the study. Therefore, to the questions of whether it is possible to donate blood after alcohol or whether it is possible to drink beer before donating blood, there should be an unambiguous answer - no. Alcohol should not be taken before donating blood.
Usually, a specialist warns the patient that the blood is taken on an empty stomach in the morning, and even coffee and tea should not be consumed. However, some patients do not always follow the recommendations and may drink beer or take other alcohol before taking the tests.
How does ethyl alcohol get into the bloodstream? It causes chemical changes and has various effects on the body:
- there is a decrease in glucose levels - an effect on blood sugar;
- uric acid content increases;
- the lactate content in the plasma increases;
- a number of other chemicals in the blood and urine also change.
Drinking alcohol can skew the test results quite severely, and at best you will need to spend some time retesting. Alcohol also affects the urinalysis.
How to prepare for the exam
What foods and drinks should not be taken before donating blood?
Experts strongly recommend the following points in preparation for the study. The person who will pass the test must know them:
- refrain from drinking alcoholic drinks 48, and ideally 72 hours before the donation of blood;
- if a person drank alcohol before the analysis (even accidentally), it is recommended to refuse the visit to the hospital and postpone it to a later date;
- there are studies in which alcohol consumption is completely prohibited (these include tests for hepatitis, HIV, diabetes mellitus, tests for the content of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and certain hormones);
- the day before the visit to the clinic, the use of sugar (and all foods containing sugar), as well as fried, spicy and fatty foods is prohibited - this may adversely affect the test;
- you should try to avoid stressful situations - you know their negative impact on the result of the analysis;
- refrain from smoking 1 to 2 hours before donating blood.
Analysis of sugar and the effect of alcohol on its results
The use of drinks and preparations containing ethanol when tested for sugar is strictly prohibited. This is especially true in diabetes mellitus. The point is, alcohol affects the liver. As a result, the breakdown products of ethanol enter the blood and urine, drastically skewing research results. The ethyl alcohol molecule is actively involved in the metabolism of the body, and as a result, glucose is formed. Hence the distortion of the result.
In addition to affecting the liver, ethanol can react chemically with medical devices, resulting in the production of foreign chemicals that are harmful to research.
Ethanol can drastically reduce the amount of glucose in the blood for a period of time because it interferes with the production of glucose in the liver. For this reason, a false suspicion of diabetes mellitus can arise.
If you do not want to waste time and money taking the exam again, carefully read the preparation rules and completely exclude alcohol from the diet - even drinks with a minimum amount of ethanol, as they are notnot at best. way influence the reliability of the results.
In some cases, a person is sent for research spontaneously, without preparation. This can happen, for example, in a workplace, when management suspects that an employee has consumed alcohol in the workplace and the employee may be referred to a healthcare facility for testing. prevent workplace injuries. In such cases, a urine test for alcohol may also be performed.
In some companies there is a medical examination of the employee before entering the workplace. These are usually companies in which workers are responsible for people's lives or use equipment that can lead to serious consequences if not properly used.
Such tests do not require special training - only a sample of biomaterial is carried out. A blood alcohol level of 0. 2 ppm is considered harmful to the body, and 0. 5 ppm is a lethal dose.