Amphetamine Screen, Urine

This test is ordered in the following conditions:

• To check if a person is getting the right therapeutic dose of prescribed amphetamines. Therapeutic dose refers to the maximum dose that can be tolerated well by the body and gives the desired effect.
• Workplaces and courts order this test to know if a person has been using amphetamine illegally. 
• If a person shows the following symptoms of amphetamine overdose:
  • Dilated pupils
  • Hyperactivity
  • Aggressiveness and violence
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Psychosis
  • Severe agitation
  • High blood pressure
  • Elevated body temperature

Amphetamine can remain in the body for up to two to four days and in frequent users, it can be detected in the urine for up to a week after use. 

Usually, no special preparation is needed for this test. Your doctor may let you know if there are any preparations required. 

Speak to the doctor about any medications that you take, as some drugs may lead to a false-positive result. These include any cold medicines, antihistamines, nasal sprays and medicines for treating depression, among others. 

A sterile urine sample is required for this test. Your doctor or nurse will explain the steps of the test to you before it is conducted. 

You’ll be provided with a special container for the collection of the sample. A “clean-catch method” is followed for this test. The steps of this method are as follows:

• First, wash and clean your hands thoroughly with a disinfectant.
• Clean your genital area using cleaning wipes.
• Once you start urinating, discard the first few drops and then hold the container under the stream of urine. 
• Collect the urine in the container up to the marking indicated, which would be around 30-50 millilitres.
• After urinating, make sure you wash your hands again and submit the sample for testing. 

Normal results:

Normal results in this test mean that either no amphetamine was detected in the given sample or the amount detected is within the range for therapeutic purposes. 

Urine amphetamine levels below 500 ng/mL are considered normal. 

Abnormal results:

Any value above the normal range in the given urine sample is considered as abnormal. Abnormal values indicate that the person has used the drug in the past one to four days. 

However, doctors confirm amphetamine abuse only after a detailed physical examination. 

Disclaimer: All results must be clinically correlated with the patient’s complaints to make a complete and accurate diagnosis. The above information is provided from a purely educational point of view and is in no way a substitute for medical advice by a qualified doctor.