The Association for Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine has updated its guidance on drug testing in emergency departments to reflect evolving drug misuse trends and testing technologies.
The update replaces guidance first issued in 2003, according to a Jan. 5 news release from the organization. Since then, drug use and testing capabilities have changed significantly. Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl began dominating the drug supply around 2013, and new designer drugs are now created each year to bypass drug laws. Meanwhile, routine testing for some drugs, including tricyclic antidepressants, has become less relevant as their use has declined since the early 2000s, the release said.
The association recommended increased collaboration between laboratory medicine professionals and emergency clinicians, particularly in selecting appropriate tests for pediatric and adult patients. The guidance also encourages periodic reviews of test menus and protocols to reflect local drug patterns and clinical utility, according to the release.
The guidance calls for consideration of mass spectrometry — a more sensitive but costlier method than immunoassays — in special populations or when test results could meaningfully affect patient care.
Read the full guidance here.
