EtG Alcohol Test

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How Can Health Street Help With Alcohol Testing During Divorce or Child Custody?

If you are going through a divorce and fear for the safety of your children when in the custody of your spouse or ex-spouse due to a known alcohol problem, Health Street can help. The best practice is to come to an agreement to test for the presence of alcohol on a set periodic basis, or on a random basis, depending on your situation. There are 6 factors to consider when crafting a drug or alcohol testing agreement during a divorce. Health Street can help manage the testing once the parties have come to an understanding about such matters as:

Who Should Order an EtG Test?

When someone consumes alcohol (ethanol), the body metabolizes it at the rate of approximately one drink per 90 minutes. However, once the alcohol is gone, a side product of the body’s metabolization, known as ethyl glucuronide, remains. This metabolite stays in the urine for about 3 days after the consumption of alcohol. Therefore, EtG tests should be ordered to check if someone has had any alcohol at all over a specific, extended time period. Since these tests look back 3 days, it is appropriate in certain situations, such as: when a parent with a known alcohol problem has had custody of children for the weekend; when a recovering alcoholic has returned from rehab and needs to be tested on an ongoing basis; when a college student agrees with his or her parents to remain alcohol free and get tested randomly.

What Is the Difference Between Basic vs. EtG Alcohol Tests

One size does not fit all when it comes to alcohol testing. The version of the test that you choose should be based on your unique circumstances. Alcohol, unlike illegal substances, is permitted and fully legal in many circumstances, but not in others. As an employer, it is important to order the right test so as not to accidentally trample on your employees’ legal rights to consume alcohol on their own time. If you’re testing for private reasons, it’s also vital to know which alcohol test best suits your needs.

The Basic Urine Alcohol Test is a less expensive test ($77) and does not screen for EtG at all. Rather, it tests only for “ethanol.” In other words, it’s looking for the actual presence of alcohol in the bloodstream, rather than a metabolite that might last longer than the alcohol itself. Once the actual alcohol has been excreted, it is no longer detectable by this basic test. This test is generally known to look back at the last 12 hours, but the timeframe can vary somewhat from person to person depending on the amount of alcohol consumed and other factors.

What Is an EtG Alcohol Test?

Ethyl glucuronide or EtG is a metabolite of alcohol. It becomes present in the urine a short while after a person begins to drink beer, wine, or liquor, and then lasts for approximately 70 to 80 hours. An EtG Urine Alcohol Test looks for this metabolite to indicate if a person has consumed alcohol over the past 3 days.

The Difference Between a Breath Alcohol Test and EtG Alcohol Test

While breath alcohol detects the level of alcohol that is currently in the blood, the EtG Urine Alcohol Test allows for a much further look back period. The actual levels of EtG are influenced by how far back during the window of detection that the person consumed the alcohol, and how much the person drank. However, the results of this test will not tell you exactly when a person consumed alcohol, or how much alcohol was consumed.

Combined EtG Plus Drug Test

Health Street offers several combined drug and alcohol tests to save time and money by testing both in one panel. We have options to add a basic, an advanced, or a comprehensive screening for drugs.

Health Street offers comprehensive alcohol testing for individuals, employers, and families at thousands of licensed clinics nationwide. We are a trusted provider in the industry, and we’re happy to answer any questions or concerns if you have any. Register online or contact us by phone today.

Health Street offers many other options for alcohol testing. If you’d like to see a comprehensive list of all alcohol tests that Health Street offers, you can view all alcohol tests here.

If the EtG Alcohol Test isn’t what you need, try taking a look at our PEth Alcohol Test or our Hair Follicle Alcohol Test.