Medical alcohol test
alcohol test · breathalyzer test · sobriety test · blood alcohol test
A doctor checks if there is alcohol in your body. You blow into a device, and sometimes give blood or urine. The doctor also does a short exam.
At the request of police or an employer, after a road accident, or at medical checks for drivers and workers.
⏱ Duration: usually 20 to 40 minutes; the breath result comes right away, blood or urine results later
Be sure to tell your doctor
How to prepare
- ID. Bring your ID.
- Mouth. For 15 to 20 minutes before the breath test, do not smoke, eat, or rinse with anything containing alcohol.
- Medicines. Do not stop them on your own. Tell the doctor everything you take.
What to bring
- Your ID
- Your referral or report, if you were sent
How it goes
- The doctor checks your ID and fills out a report
- You have a short exam: blood pressure, pulse, speech, and balance
- You breathe out long and steady into a single-use mouthpiece
- The breath test is usually repeated after 15 to 20 minutes
- Sometimes blood from a vein or urine is taken for the lab
- The doctor writes up the result
What you'll feel
- Nothing unpleasant
- You need to blow steadily and for a long time into the device
Afterwards
- The breath result shows right away
- Blood or urine results usually come in a few days
- The official report is issued by the rules. Ask who gets it and when
Common questions
Can kvass or kefir show up as alcohol?
Right after drinking, they can sometimes give very small numbers. That is why the breath test is repeated after 15 to 20 minutes.
Can I refuse the test?
That depends on the law in your country, and refusing can have consequences. Ask a lawyer or the officer who sent you.