The Difference between a Blood and Urine Drug Test
Blood Test vs Urine Test – Drug Testing Differences
When regarding drug testing, every method serves the same purpose and that is to determine if a person is using any form of illegal drugs.
The different types of tests that can be used all possess various factors that are important for administrators to know before choosing which type of test to use.
Blood and Urine drug testing are two entirely different methods used in this process but knowing how these two drug tests operate is important to know before giving these tests.
Blood Test
A blood test is one of the most accurate drug tests that can be administered. It identifies the parent drug found in a person’s bloodstream and not just the metabolites.
On top of being extremely accurate, a blood test can also identify any adulterants in a person’s bloodstream so even if a person is attempting to beat a test, the blood test can pick up on any substance tainting what is actually in a person’s system.
The one downfall to a blood drug test is their windows of detection. Most illicit drugs do not stay in the bloodstream for a long period of time. Drug particles dissolve quickly and can be easily passed if tests are expected.
The best time to administer this type of test is when it is unannounced if you are an employer.
Urine Test
A urine drug test is one of the most cost-effective tests out there, and they are great for picking up recent drug usage.
A urine test is the most widely accepted form of drug testing available. A urine test goes through two different processes. The sample is separated and ran two different times. The initial test is to determine if any adulterant was used, the PH level of the sample, or if there is any parent drug in the person’s system.
If anything is present during the initial test, then the sample is taken through to the second phase of testing to determine what drugs are present.
Another bonus to a urine test is that they can be collected on-site and results given right then. This can be extremely cost and time effective to employers allowing for the drug screening process to be streamlined.
When administrating a drug test, knowing the type of drug test to use for the correct situation is vital to providing accurate results.
Blood and Urine tests both are great methods, and both serve their purpose when it comes to drug testing.
A blood test will provide you with some of the most accurate results to what drugs are in a person’s bloodstream. A urine test is extremely cost-effective and has the quickest turn around for employers.
