Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
Use
Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) testing is critical for monitoring therapeutic drug levels and ensuring patient compliance. Chlorpromazine is an antipsychotic medication used primarily in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. By measuring the concentration of chlorpromazine in plasma or serum, healthcare providers can optimize dosage to achieve therapeutic levels, reducing the risk of side effects while ensuring effective symptom control. This test can also be used in the assessment of patient adherence to prescribed medication regimens.
Special Instructions
It is necessary to submit either a plasma or serum sample following specific collection requirements to ensure accurate test results. Plasma should be drawn in a green-top (sodium heparin) tube and serum in a plain red-top tube; gel tubes are not acceptable.
Limitations
This test only quantifies chlorpromazine levels and does not measure any metabolites. Results can be affected by improper sample handling or collection in incorrect tubes. It is essential to adhere to recommended specimen collection and storage guidelines to avoid compromised results. It should be noted that interference due to hemolysis, lipemia, and icterus has not been observed for this assay.
New York Approved
Methodology
Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
Biomarkers
LOINC Codes
- 3471-0
- 3471-0
Result Turnaround Time
7-11 days
Related Documents
For more information, please review the documents below
Specimen
Plasma
Volume
1 mL
Minimum Volume
0.25 mL
Container
Plastic vial
Collection Instructions
Draw blood in a green-top (sodium heparin) tube, spin down and send 1 mL sodium heparin plasma refrigerated.
Causes for Rejection
NA
Stability Requirements
| Temperature | Period |
|---|---|
| Room Temperature | 72 hours |
| Refrigerated | 7 days |
| Frozen | 180 days |