According to studies, laboratory examinations are 60-80% helpful in establishing a diagnosis.Of course, this is not the only thing that affects the diagnosis.To do this, it is necessary to compare the complete medical history of the patient and accompanying symptoms, but without tests, diagnosis is almost impossible, because they allow one to see the full picture.Therefore, it is very important to ensure that nothing interferes with the test results, as this will interfere with an accurate diagnosis.
Alcohol is one of the factors that can make diagnosis difficult and seriously affect test results.Below we explain in more detail the reasons why its use is not recommended before the medical procedure.
Effects of alcohol on blood tests
It has been scientifically proven that ethyl acts on the human body as a strong poison.When consuming a small amount of adult drink, the immune system is activated, attacking harmful substances and trying to neutralize them.The activated protective reaction aims to quickly remove toxins and combat harmful effects.Under the influence of breakdown products, the chemical and qualitative composition of blood, seminal fluid, and urine changes.The immune system is weak, because the blood cells are destroyed, their membranes are destroyed, and blood clots, forming blood clots.The kidneys and liver begin to work harder.Their cells are destroyed, lipid-fat metabolism is disrupted, and severe intoxication occurs.Toxins are not removed from the body quickly.Depending on the metabolic rate, this process lasts from two to three to seven days.
Of course, this process greatly affects blood, urine and sperm tests.They do not allow you to see the true picture of what is happening in the body without the influence of ethanol.In addition, the breakdown products of ethyl alcohol can react with materials used in laboratory research.This also makes it difficult to accurately determine the presence of disease and confuses medical workers.
Once in the stomach, alcohol poison is first absorbed into the blood and causes changes in it that last for several days.As a result, blood cell membranes are damaged, blood clotting, hemoglobin and sugar levels decrease, and cholesterol increases.All of this increases the likelihood of a misdiagnosis.Doctors may not recognize serious diseases such as diabetes and anemia, and may not detect the inflammatory process in time.
In addition, alcohol has a very negative effect on the biochemical composition of the blood, distorting the concentration of micro and macro, minerals and metals.The concentration of lactic acid and uric acid increases, which will also damage the results of biochemical analysis.Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus are washed away.When sampling from a vein, this is even more important to accurately describe the patient's condition.
Alcohol-containing drinks also change hormone levels, increasing stress hormones, because ethanol affects the function of the adrenal glands and the thyroid gland.This gland is responsible for producing important hormones.Deviations from normal levels of these hormones may indicate a serious illness that requires timely treatment.
Due to decreased immunity, false positive results for viral infections such as hepatitis and HIV are possible.Therefore, if the recommendations are not followed, it is better to warn the doctor about this and reschedule the procedure for another day.
Interestingly, different types of strong drinks have different effects on the body.For example, dark beer increases hemoglobin due to its high iron content.This means that the doctor will not be able to determine the presence of anemia, if any.
Therefore, doctors can rule out the presence of serious diseases such as malignant neoplasms, diabetes, hepatitis and HIV infection, etc.For this reason, it is not recommended to drink strong drinks two or three days before the test.
Among other things, during intoxication a person is too weak and dehydrated, and therefore may feel worse after the procedure, lose consciousness, and become nauseous and vomit.
Effects of alcohol on urinalysis
Alcohol and its breakdown products stay in the urine longer than in the blood.How long alcohol remains in urine depends on individual characteristics, including metabolism.However, it is better to play it safe and not drink for five to seven days before the test than to get the wrong result.
During alcohol intoxication, the concentration of uric acid and lactic acid increases, which significantly interferes with the results.Glucose readings also do not correspond to reality.Glucose is formed in the liver, which is known to be the first to be injured.
The kidneys, whose job is to clean up, will work hard to complete their task.They will actively get rid of the breakdown products of alcohol poisoning, which will lead to their high concentration in the urine.However, you should not try to speed up the process of removing toxins from your urine using diuretics.This will certainly help to speed up the cleaning, but will lead to more severe dehydration, additional pressure on the kidneys and increased concentration of urine, and it is still not possible to remove the harmful substances completely.
Effects of alcohol on sperm
Semen is a highly volatile fluid that is easily affected by toxins found in recreational beverages.The main indication for sperm is infertility.Since alcohol greatly affects the ability of seeds to fertilize, consuming this product is highly undesirable before this procedure.
Due to exposure to ethanol in the seminal fluid, the number of viable sperm is reduced, their motility is reduced, the number of sperm is reduced and the number of defective cells is increased.This leads to a decline in sperm count, so it is not recommended to drink in advance for seven days.
Even low-alcohol drinks have an effect, although the small ethanol content worsens the condition of the sperm.Beer is very dangerous to men's health.Despite the low percentage of alcohol, this drink is dangerous because it contains phytoestrogens.This substance is a plant analogue of female hormones, the excess of which has a negative effect on male reproductive cells.
If the damaged sperm dissolves the egg, then fetal pathology, miscarriage, and mutation are possible.Therefore, ethyl harms not only the indicators, but also prevents the conception of a healthy child.You should avoid it while planning pregnancy to avoid such consequences.
What will the test result be if you don't follow the recommendations?
Drinking even a small dose of ethyl alcohol before collecting samples for laboratory tests greatly interferes with the results.As mentioned above, this leads to misdiagnosis.Specialists may fail to see a serious illness and fail to prescribe the necessary treatment in time.It is also possible that the wrong treatment will be prescribed, which will lead to a worsening of the situation.The premature treatment of some diseases sometimes leads to irreversible consequences and a situation where the treatment no longer has an effect.
It is possible that the doctor will make a false diagnosis of a viral or infectious disease due to reduced immunity and prescribe unnecessary treatment, thereby only harming the patient.Drinking alcohol before surgery is very dangerous, because it is not known how an intoxicated person will react to the intervention itself, to anesthesia.In addition, doctors risk making mistakes during surgery, relying on incorrect data obtained while the patient is hungry.Such mistakes can have disastrous consequences.
How to prepare for the test
Most blood tests are carried out in the morning after fasting for eight to twelve alcohol and tests: influence on the results.At this time, you can only drink water.You must abstain from alcohol for two to three days.Smoking is prohibited one hour before the test.It is also necessary to exclude hormonal surges that may be caused by stress or excess, and not to take medication.
Before undergoing a hormone test, it is very important to abstain from food for eight to twelve hours, and eliminate fatty, sugary, carbonated and alcoholic beverages from your diet a few days before the procedure.Physical activity, chewing sweets, caffeine and tobacco products are prohibited on this day.It is recommended to avoid stress and emotional overload.You can take it no earlier than five days after the X-ray and ultrasound.When determining your sugar level, it is also forbidden to brush your teeth.
Before donating urine, it is not recommended to eat foods of different colors, or drink diuretics.Immediately before the collection, it is necessary to perform genital hygiene.It is better for women not to be tested during menstruation.The first portion of urine collected is the first pee after waking up.
A week before sperm, you should give up alcohol.It is recommended to refrain from ejaculation and smoking for three days.This will allow you to accurately determine the quantity and quality of sperm in the seminal fluid.