Why order this test?
Are you about to search for a new job that requires drug testing? See how your body processes and measures alcohol levels. If you are diabetic or dieting with elevated blood ketones (ketoacidosis) you are at risk of a false positive ethyl alcohol test.
Alcohols others than ethanol (e.g., isopropyl [rubbing alcohol] or methanol [grain alcohol]) will also cause testing to be a false positive. This can affect an interview where you could be sent directly for drug testing.
Alcohol Consumption
Ethanol is the most often abused substance whose primary effect on the CNS varies with blood concentration. Not all individuals experience the same effects at a given blood level. Other CNS depressants have an additive effect when taken in combination with ethanol. At high concentrations, ethanol elimination is relatively constant (zero order). Fatal concentration typically exceeds 0.4 g/dL. Blood concentrations of 0.3 g/dL are associated with coma.
TEST PREP: Ethyl alcohol is present in many medicinal liquids and mouthwashes. Do not use these products prior to testing.