Carbamazepine

Test Name

Carbamazepine

Alternate Description

Tegretol

LIS Code

CARBAM

Availability

24 hours a day, seven days a week

Lab Section

Chemistry

Fluid Type

Plasma

Specimen Tube Type Transport

Gel Green Top

Container Whole Blood Required

4 ml whole blood in a Gel Green Top

Critical Value

>12.0 ug/mL

Summary Test Name

Carbamazepine

Specimen Preparation Outreach

Spin right away, separate plasma into plastic 12 x 75 pour-off tube. Cap with plastic stopper. Refrigerate until courier pickup.

Specimen Stability

7 days refrigerated, if spun and plasma removed from gel; 6 hours on the gel

Minimum Volume

1 full green microtainer or 1 mL in a pediatric green top tube.

Specimen Transport

Refrigerate

Specimen Preparation In House

Spin and refrigerate until analysis

Stat Availability

24 hours a day, seven days a week

Test Turnaround Time Routines And Stats

R 4 hours S 1 hour

Reference Value

Therapeutic range: 4 -12 ug/mL

Additional Test Information

Trough: Collect immediately before administering the next dose. Critical Value 12 ug/mL