Benzodiazepines Urine Test

A benzodiazepines test may be done as part of a toxicology screen or drug screen for one of the following reasons:

• To know if the person has drug toxicity.
• If a person is prescribed benzodiazepines. This test may be done to check if he/she is taking the medicines in the recommended amount.
• For legal purposes or as a part of employment process, to tell if a person has been involved in drug abuse
• In case a person shows any of the following signs of drug overdose:
  • Slurred speech
  • Confusion
  • Loss of control over muscles
  • Decline in the ability to talk or think properly
  • Seizures
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Drop in blood pressure
  • Shallow and slow breathing
  • Cardiac arrest

Benzodiazepines are one of the most common date rape drugs. This test is sometimes ordered in rape cases to know if the person was drugged before the sexual assault. 

No preparation is required before this test. 

Inform your doctor or lab technician if you are using any medicines or supplements as certain medicines may affect the test results. 

A benzodiazepines test can be performed at any time of the day. You will be provided with a special container to collect the urine sample. To avoid contamination, make sure to wash and clean your genital area before collecting the sample. 

A technician or nurse may provide you with more details about the collection and storage procedure. 

If the test is being done as part of a legal proceeding, you may need to deposit the sample in the presence of a laboratory person to avoid any malpractice.

Normal results:

A normal result is written as negative. It indicates that no drug metabolite was found in your urine. Drug metabolite is the substance which is formed after the body has processed the main drug molecule. However, a normal result may not always mean that you have not taken the drug at all. It could mean the amount of metabolite is below the detection levels.

Abnormal results:

Abnormal results are usually reported as positive. It means that there is enough drug metabolite in your body to be detected using this test. However, the presence of the drug metabolite in urine does not indicate the quantity of the drug used. It is merely an indicator of usage. The test results are affected by the interval between drug intake and the time of the test. 

Additionally, different forms of benzodiazepine molecules are processed in the body in a different manner. They all take a different amount of time to reach the urine.

Sometimes, a false-positive result in a toxicology screen occurs due to interference from medicines given to treat cough, cold, pain and infections, etc. Speak with your doctor if you have any questions about the results. He/she will be able to explain what the result indicates as per your age, sex and health condition.

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.