Phencyclidine urine test

Your doctor may advise a PCP urine test for the following reasons:

• Testing substance abuse of PCP
• Screening for medical purposes (health symptoms related to the drug or signs of intoxication of PCP)
• Suspected abuse of other medicines (prescribed or non-prescribed) taken along with PCP, as multiple medications may have detrimental effects on the brain

This test is also ordered as a part of workplace testing.

You don’t have to do anything special to prepare for this test. However, inform your doctor about any prescription and non-prescription medicines, including any supplements, which you may be taking. This is because some medicines may affect the results of this test. Your doctor may change the course of some medicines or ask you to stop taking them for a while. Do not stop taking any medicine on your own. 

PCP test is done on a random urine sample - urine sample collected at any time of the day. You will get a special container from the lab to collect the sample. Here is the right way for sample collection:

• Wash hands with soap and clean water
• Clean your genital area with a cleansing pad provided by the laboratory
• Start to urinate in the toilet bowl; the first few drops of urine should not be collected.
• Then, move the provided container under the stream of urine 
• Collect up to the mark indicated on the container. 
• Do not collect the last drops of urine either; instead, complete urinating in the toilet
• Cover the container and return it to the lab

The test procedure does not involve any side effects or risks.

Normal results:

A normal result is reported as negative. It means that PCP was not detected in the given sample. It could also mean the levels of the drug were below the established value. Alternatively, the result would be negative if the sample was not tested when it contained PCP, for example, in less than 10 days as stated previously. If you have any questions regarding the test results, consult your doctor.

Abnormal results:

An abnormal finding may be reported as positive. It means that the given urine sample had PCP. It could also indicate a suspected long-term use of PCP if the test is done after a month from the last dose.

However, an abnormal result may not always mean PCP use; it could also be a false-positive result. PCP tests may show false-positive results with the use of benzodiazepines (alprazolam or clonazepam). Your doctor can explain what the results mean precisely.

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.