What is Phencyclidine (PCP) Serum test?
The phencyclidine (PCP) serum test checks for the presence of the hallucinogenic drug PCP in your blood.
PCP was originally introduced in 1957 as an anaesthetic for surgeries. Though phencyclidine is no longer used for clinical purposes - due to its undesirable effects on the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) - it is now abused as a recreational drug.
The dose and the route by which PCP enters the body determine its activity on the brain. At low doses, it blocks the action of certain brain chemicals and brings about a feeling of well-being (euphoria) and hallucinations (where a person hears, feels and sees things, which do not exist in reality). It also causes dissociation – the feeling of separation from the body and surroundings. At higher doses, PCP causes toxicity and can lead to coma, seizures or even death.