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Last updated: 11/24/2009
Voided specimens
All patients should avoid intense athletic training or heavy physical work before the test, as these activities may cause small amounts of blood to appear in the urine. Many urinary constituents are labile, and samples...
should be tested within one hour of collection or refrigerated. Samples may be stored at 36–46°F (2–8°C) for up to 24 hours for chemical urinalysis tests; however, the microscopic examination should be performed within four hours of collection, if possible. To minimize sample contamination, women who require a urinalysis during menstruation should insert a fresh tampon before providing a urine sample.
Over two dozen drugs are known to interfere with various chemical urinalysis tests. These include:
- ascorbic acid
- chlorpromazine
- L-dopa
- nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin, Furadantin)
- penicillin
- phenazopyridine (Pyridium)
- rifampin (Rifadin)
- tolbutamide
The preservatives that are used to prevent loss of glucose and cells may affect biochemical test results. The use of preservatives should be avoided whenever possible in urine tests.
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While it may seem automatic, the release of urine from the urinary bladder requires a fairly complex coordination of several muscles. The animation shows the process involved in release of urine from the bladder.
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Other Information
A urinalysis (or "UA") is an array of tests performed on urine and one of the most common methods of medical diagnosis. A part of a urinalysis can be performed by using urine dipsticks, in which the test results can be read as color changes.
Other Information
As a urologist, I've found it's easier to do the PSA test and then sit down with the patient and say here's what the results mean for you. Given what we know right now, that seems a very sensible approach.
-Dr. Evan Vapnek
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