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Toxic Ingestion — Serum Studies — Clinical Pathway: Emergency Department, ICU and Inpatient

Toxic Ingestion Clinical Pathway — Emergency Department, ICU and Inpatient

Serum Studies

Serum studies are not required for all ingestions.

The following studies may assist in identifying the poison ingested, determining poisoning severity, or evaluating for the presence of poisoning-related complications.

Consultation with Poison Control Center is recommended if planning to send specific drug levels to reference labs.

Studies and Labs/Substances Tested

Serum Toxicology Studies
  • CHOP Serum Drug Screen
    • Acetaminophen
    • Salicylates
    • Ethanol
  • Send-out Reference Labs
    • Multiple available
      • Digoxin
      • Tricyclic antidepressants
      • Lead
      • Lithium
    • Note
      • Many drugs concentrate in urine but are found in small concentrations in serum
      • Poison Control Center consultation recommended if considering
Routine Laboratory Studies
  • Point-of-care blood glucose
  • CMP
  • ABG/VBG
  • CBC
  • Serum osmolality
  • Co-oximetry
  • Note
    • Individualize test selection as guided by clinical findings and clinician judgement

 

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