Specimen Requirements

Patient Preparation:1. Patient must be on a normal diet for 3 days prior to testing.

2. Patient must be fasting (8-14 hours).

Specimen Type: Blood
Container/Tube:

Preferred: Light-green top (lithium heparin gel)

Acceptable: Gold top, serum gel

Specimen Volume: Full tube

Specimen Minimum Volume: 2 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Draw a fasting specimen.

2. Give patient a 100 g dose of glucose beverage, noting time of ingestion (patient must drink entire beverage within 5 minutes).

3. Draw specimens at 1-, 2-, and 3-hours post ingestion of glucose beverage.

4. Label specimens with times of draw.

5. Send specimens in original tubes.

6. If there is a delay in transport of >1 hour, centrifuge tubes.