Topics in Drug Testing from Quest Diagnostics

Today’s podcast will cover key findings from the annual Quest Diagnostics Health Trends report, Drug Misuse in America. Some of the key topics shared will include: Summary of analysis of more than 4.4 million de-identified drug monitoring tests performed by Quest Diagnostics from 2011 through 2018 Findings of a Harris Poll survey of 500 primary care physicians, as part of Health Trends report analysis Highlights of the evolving drug misuse crisis in America, including Drug mixing and the overdose death connection Key challenges facing physicians today, with regards to identifying drug misuse, and treating patients with chronic pain The role and importance of drug monitoring and incorporating it into medical practice This episode features Dr Jeff Gudin, senior medical advisor, Quest Diagnostics Drug Monitoring and Toxicology, and Justin Niles, lead medical informatics analyst for Quest Diagnostics Health Trends™. 

Today’s podcast will cover testing for kratom, a drug of concern. Some of the key information shared will include: What is kratom? What is the chemical make-up? Kratom toxicity and side effects Testing for kratom Why testing is important? How to test for kratom What testing will tell you This episode features Jack Kain, PharmD, Quest Diagnostics medical science liaison, and Jeff Gudin, MD, senior medical advisor, Quest Diagnostics drug monitoring. 

Today's podcast will cover why and when to use oral fluid testing. Some key topics shared will include: What is oral fluid testing? Comparison of oral fluid testing to other methods of testing The benefits of oral fluid testing? Some of the drugs oral fluid testing can identify? How are the drugs identified? How is the sample collected? Discussion on some of the key collection issues The episode features Les Edinboro, PhD, Quest Diagnostics executive science director, toxicology and drug monitoring, and Jeff Gudin, MD, senior medical advisor, Quest Diagnostics drug monitoring. 

Today’s podcast will cover dangerous drug combinations and the role of clinical drug monitoring. Some of the key information that will be shared includes: What are dangerous drug combinations What practitioners and the public need to know about them How dangerous drug combinations can work together to lead to side effects Certain combinations predispose people to a greater risk of overdose and death Combinations that can affect drug levels, creating a pharmacokinetic drug–drug interaction Certain combinations that may result in excessive sedation How drug testing can help A tool to identify dangerous drug combinations How drug testing identifies metabolites unique to a substance This episode features Quest Diagnostics Senior Medical Advisor Dr Jeff Gudin and Medical Science Liaison Dr Jack Kain. 

The podcast will cover screening (drug testing) for alcohol use in pain management and primary care. Topics covered will include: Understand drug and alcohol misuse and abuse Prevalence rates of alcohol use and misuse, and alcohol use disorders Information on alcohol use, and concomitant use with opioids and benzodiazepines Screening guidelines Tools and types of tests Testing for alcohol Breathalyzer Advances in testing Biomarkers Other considerations Quest Diagnostics approach This episode features Quest Diagnostics Senior Medical Advisor Dr Jeff Gudin and Medical Science Liaison Dr Jack Kain. 

Today’s episode is on patients with substance use disorders in medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Some of the key points that will be covered include: What is medication-assisted treatment What are the goals of an MAT treatment program Medications used in MAT treatment  Drug testing during MAT Purpose of drug testing Types of drug testing Specimen collection Specimen validity Test confirmation This episode features Quest Diagnostics Senior Medical Advisor, Dr Jeff Gudin, and Medical Science Liaison, Dr Jack Kain. 

Today, we will be talking about marijuana and marijuana-based products in order to:  Understand drug testing for marijuana, and why it’s important Examine marijuana used in concert with controlled medications for pain or ADHD Give some general recommendations for therapeutic drug monitoring for marijuana in patients with chronic pain using controlled substances For example, at a minimum such patients should be tested before opioid therapy begins, again within 1 to 3 months, and randomly over the next 12 months, and more frequently if there are unexpected results, or there are complaints or behavior changes in the patient  The episode features Quest Diagnostics Senior Medical Advisor, Dr Jeff Gudin, and Medical Science Liaison, Dr Jack Kain. They will be discussing drug testing your patients for marijuana.