Metanephrines in blood and urine

Be sure to tell your doctor

• All your medicines, especially for blood pressure, depression, and colds
• If you drink a lot of coffee or energy drinks
• If adrenal tumors run in your family
• If you have sudden spells of very high blood pressure

How to prepare

• Medicines. Some medicines distort the result. Do not stop anything on your own. Your doctor will say if anything needs to be switched.
• Food and drinks. Usually for 24 hours: no coffee, strong tea, alcohol, or smoking. You are often asked to avoid bananas, nuts, and chocolate. Check with the lab.
• Blood. Blood is taken on an empty stomach. You usually lie down for about 20 to 30 minutes before the draw.
• 24-hour urine. Do not collect the first morning urine. Then for 24 hours, pee into a large container. The last portion is the next morning. Sometimes a preservative is added. The lab will give it to you.

What to bring

• Your referral or list of tests
• Your ID
• The 24-hour urine container or a sample poured from it, as the lab says
• The total urine volume for 24 hours, written down

How it goes

1. For the blood test, you lie down quietly for about half an hour
2. The nurse puts on a band and wipes the skin
3. A quick prick, and blood fills the tube
4. For the urine test, you bring all or part of the urine collected over 24 hours
5. The lab worker writes down the volume and the collection time

What you'll feel

• A quick prick, like a pinch
• Collecting urine for 24 hours does not hurt, but you must not miss a single portion

Afterwards

• Press the cotton pad for 3 to 5 minutes
• After the test, you can eat and drink as usual
• The doctor will review the result. Sometimes the test is repeated