Specimen Requirements

Collect blood from stasis-free vein of fasting patient.  Smoking should be avoided prior to sampling.  Tubes should be filled completely and kept tightly stoppered at all times.  Place immediately on ice and centrifuge, preferably at 4 °C.  Perform analysis with 20-30 min of venipuncture or freeze separated plasma immediately. 

Cannot run ammonia and a CBC from same sample. Must draw CBC at room temp and another tube for the ammonia which is placed in ice.

Specimen Type: Plasma

Container/Tube: Lavender top (EDTA)

Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Fasting.

2. Smoking should be avoided prior to draw.

3. Do not use a tourniquet.

4. Hemolyzed specimen is not acceptable.