Before prescribing treatment for any disease, a proper examination should be done. The choice of therapeutic therapy depends on the correct diagnosis. However, taking any medication or substance can have a negative effect on the test results. It is also worth considering that you should not drink alcohol before the tests, because there may be strong drinksthe results vary greatly. To be sure of this, it is worth taking into account the characteristics of the effect of alcohol on the examinations.
Effects of alcohol on blood tests
When various diseases are diagnosed, blood tests are often performed. It is used to determine the causes, form, degree of complexity and many other indicators of pathology. To obtain accurate results, it is worth excluding conditions that can change them, including drinks that contain alcohol.
Note! Before taking the tests, you need to prepare thoroughly. Recommendation1-2 days before the diagnosisstop drinking alcohol and taking various medications.
How alcohol affects blood tests:
- It causes the destruction of the membrane of red blood cells and reduces their mobility properties. When consumed, the quality of blood viscosity increases, the number of red blood cells decreases, and hemoglobin decreases;
- Glucose synthesis slows down in the liver. Drinking alcohol before the tests can lead to a misdiagnosismisdiagnosisin a healthy person, that is, in diabetes;
- Increases lactic acid. As a result, wrong diagnoses can be made that may be related to the heart and blood vessels;
- increases the level of urea;
- Increases the indicatorcholesterol;
- Increases the content of neutral oils. As a result, the specialist may assume that the patient has problems with blood vessels, heart function and liver;
- It causes changes in the composition of micro and macroelements. This makes it difficult to determine which items are required;
- Leads, causeschanges in hormonal levels.
Alcohol greatly distorts blood test results. Incorrect readings can lead to a doctor's misdiagnosismisdiagnosis. And this can be the result of choosing the wrong treatment therapy, which can have a negative impact on health.
Features of the effect of alcoholic beverages on test results
You should not drink alcohol before the tests. May contain products containing alcoholthe results vary greatly, but it is still worth giving up before diagnosis. Nicotine, failure to follow a healthy diet, as well as various drugs cause distortion of indicators.
How does it affect the overall analysis?
When asked whether alcohol can be consumed before blood tests, experts will answer negatively. Under the influence of alcohol components, research data can be distorted:
- Red blood cells are destroyed;
- Cholesterol level increases (sometimes it can reach 80%);
- Hemoglobin decreases.
The main danger of consuming alcoholic beverages immediately before the diagnosis is their presencehas a strong effecton erythrocyte concentration indicators. It destroys them, but it is of great importance for health. They transport oxygen from the respiratory system to various organs and tissues, and carbon dioxide back to the respiratory organs.
When exposed to ethyl alcohol, the destruction of the erythrocyte membrane is observed. It causesviolation of their actions, stop repelling and stick together. As a result, the level of red blood cells decreases and this leads to a very low hemoglobin. At the same time, microthrombi form and microcirculation deteriorates.
Under the influence of alcoholic beverages, the blood structure becomes viscous. As a result, clots appear that cannot pass through the capillary and vessel walls. And it can be a phenomenonit is dangerous for lifepersonIt interferes with the complete blood test.
Effect on the results of biochemical studies
Especially affectingalcohol distorts the results obtained in biochemical blood tests. This review is complete. Using this, you can find out which components are not enough for the body, and vice versa, which are in excess.
Under the influence of alcoholic beverages, changes in the biochemical blood test are observed:
- Decreased glucose level;
- decrease in urea level;
- Cells cannot absorb oxygen at full capacity;
- Deterioration of a person's well-being.
Drinking alcohol can cause a sharp drop in glucose levels. This can be especially dangerous in diabetes.
When drinking alcohol, the level of uric acid in the blood decreases, and this can have a negative effect on health. The doctor canmisdiagnosis. A reduced urea level may indicate serious circulatory problems. Urea is required to remove nitrogen from the body, and if this element is elevated, it may indicate the presence of gout and chronic arthritis.
Alcohol often causes an increase in triacylglycerols in the blood. These fats are characteristic for pathologies such as atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, thrombosis of cerebral vessels, viral hepatitis.
It is important! Many specialists try not to use alcohol-containing drugs when conducting tests. However, they are believed to be able to identifyvarious infections. But still, ethyl alcohol results can vary so much that even a specialist cannot understand them.
You should not take tests after drinking alcohol, it is better to wait 2-3 days. If the patient undergoes a biochemical study during starvation, he may experience the following conditions:
- Fainting;
- Long lasting headaches;
- Signs of nausea;
- Vomiting.
Usually, a small amount of blood is taken when performing a biochemical blood test. A sober person will not notice any significant changes. However, alcohol molecules disrupt metabolic processes andhas a negative effectabout brain circulation.
If you are facing the problem of alcoholism, then the modern clinic offers alcoholism treatment services using effective methods.
Effect on blood sample results for sugar
Blood tests to read sugar are usually prescribed for patients with metabolic disorders. A finger prick is performed during the study. If alcoholic drinks were taken before the analysis, the composition of the blood thickens, which creates certain difficulties in its collection, and also increases it.risk of blood clots.
Ethyl alcohol has a harmful effect on the liver. It also adversely affects reagents and the performance of laboratory instruments. For this reason, two different results can occur - an increase or decrease in the level of glucose in the blood.
1 gram of ethyl alcohol increases kilocalories by almost 7 units. The fact is that alcohol molecules immediately interfere with metabolic processes. And under the influence of liver enzymes, glucose is formed. What happens in the end?increase in sugar levelsin the blood.
Alcoholic drinks can temporarily lower blood glucose levels. 2. 5 hours a day is kept within the normal limit, this is provided by carbohydrates entering the digestive organs. During the rest of the time, the liver produces glucose and uses the reserves in the body. But it can be alcoholdisrupt this process, which can lead to a decrease in glucose.
Effect of alcohol on urinalysis
You should not drink alcohol before a urine test, as alcohol can alter the test results. If alcoholic beverages are already drunk, you should not diagnose the next day, it is better to wait 2-5 days for the presence of ethyl alcohol.completely withdrawnfrom the body.
Under the influence of alcohol, the following changes can be observed in the analysis:
- There is an increase in the level of urea;
- increased lactic acid;
- Increased glucose level;
- If alcoholic beverages contain coloring components, preservatives or elements to increase taste, traces of these substances will be detected in the urine for at least 2-3 days.
It is not recommended to drink drugs with a diuretic effect to speed up the elimination of alcohol. They willoverloading the kidneys. Along with harmful components, useful substances and a large amount of potassium will be thrown out.
When can you drink alcohol?
Alcohol can greatly change the data of any test - blood, urine and even spermogram. ThereforeNot recommendeddrink before the examination. It is especially important to stop drinking alcohol before having a test during major operations.
If the disease is not very serious, then a small amount of alcohol is allowed. However, the doctor must inform each patient about thisindividually.
2-3 days before the diagnosis, you should stop consuming alcoholic beverages. During this period, the body experiences a weakening of processes that can greatly affect the state of the body.
It is not recommended to drink alcohol before the tests, in any case, ethyl alcohol will have a negative effect on the results. And this can ultimately lead tomisdiagnosis. A few days before the diagnosis, it is better not to take alcohol-containing drinks and medicines. The only situation where alcohol does not alter the results is the alcohol intoxication test indicated for drivers and some workers.