Specimen Type/Requirements

Dark Green top (Sodium Heparin w/out gel) tube - Plasma

Lavender top (EDTA) tube - Plasma

Overnight fasting is preferred.

Patient should avoid alcohol, coffee, tea, tobacco and strenuous exercise before specimen collection.

Patients should be relaxed in either a supine or upright position before blood is drawn.

States of anxiety and stress can cause fluctuations in Catecholamine levels.

COLLECTION INSTRUCTIONS:

Draw specimen in a prechilled tube.

After drawing the specimen place the tube in ice bath.

Centrifuge for 20 minutes 1000 xg. The plasma must be free of RBC's.

Freeze immediately.

This test requires its own frozen aliquot.

Not affected by hemolysis or lipemia.