What time can I do a blood draw?
The opening hours of our laboratory are from 8:00 in the morning to 19:00 in the afternoon, Monday to Friday.
The lab in Athens (23 Feidippidou 23, tel. 11527) is open on Saturdays 09:00 – 13:30.
The lab in Peristeri (41 Sof.Venizelou Street, 12131) is open on Saturday 09:00 – 13:30
It is recommended that blood is drawn between 08:00 and 10:00 in the morning before breakfast. For the common biochemical tests (blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides, etc.) a fasting period of 10-12 hours is required.
Some test result can vary during a 24-hour period, such as iron, which is usually also preferable in the morning, as the serum levels drop by 30% to 50% in the afternoon hours.
With morning blood sampling we ensure similar conditions on every day, hence obtaining comparable results.
Several examinations can also take place in the evening. (see next question)
Are there any blood tests that can be done in the afternoon?
Several tests can be done at any time during the day, e.g. blood count, blood group, rhesus, hormone tests, such as beta-chorionic gonadotropin or thyroid hormones, allergy tests (except for specialised allergy tests which you will see here), etc.
What do we mean by fasting before blood collection? How many hours should I fast?
The common biochemical tests, in order to be reliable, require a fasting period of 10-12 hours before blood sampling (blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides, homocysteine, insulin, etc.).
For some tests a 24-hour abstinence from alcohol is necessary, such as cholesterol, HDL, LDL, LDL, VLDL, lipoprotein a, CPK, glucose.
Can I take medication before the blood draw?
In cases where the patient is taking medication, he or she should talk to his or her doctor so that relevant instructions can be obtained depending on the required tests.
Several drugs interfere with the metabolism of certain substances or the reaction of the analysis and should not be taken before blood collection.
- Cortisone (affects blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides etc., specialised tests for allergy)
- Anxiolytics – hypnotics (Librium, Oasil, Hipnosedon)
- Salicylate (Aspirin, Salospir) (tests for blood clotting, better dressing at the end of the blood draw)
- Antihypertensives – diuretics (Hygroton, Lasix)
- Contraceptives (cause an increase in iron, total cholesterol and a decrease in HDL-cholesterol)
In addition, these groups should not take their medicine before the blood draw:
- Diabetic patients receiving either oral hypoglycaemic medication, or insulin
- Those being treated for cholesterol
- Ασθενείς που λαμβάνουν θυροξίνη για το θυρεοειδή, εκτός αν συστήσει διαφορετικά ο ενδοκρινολόγος.
If someone is taking an iron formula or any supplement they need to stop taking it for at least 2-3 days in order to measure levels reliably.
Can I drink water before the blood draw?
Water does not affect any test. It is recommended as a preparation for any type of blood draw, as it hydrates the body and is recommended especially for patients with thin veins, people who experience any problem during blood draw (anxiety, phobia, fainting, difficulty in finding a vein) and children (especially when fasting is required). should drink 1-2 glasses of water before the blood draw.
What should I do before the blood draw?
-You should not change your eating habits in fear of your test results. Follow your regular diet plan so that the results are more representative of your daily lifestyle.
-In cases where fasting is required, it should be 10-12 hours. For very young ages, you should ask your paediatrician for specific instructions about the tests he or she has prescribed for you. In any other case you can call our lab and talk to our qualified staff.
-Drink water before the blood draw. It helps hydrate the body, makes it easier to locate a vein, and makes for a better and more painless blood collection.
-Let the staff know about any medication you are taking, any other medical condition, and if you are experiencing phobia or dizziness.
Is it necessary to contact the laboratory and make an appointment before I come for an examination?
For most tests, it is not necessary to make an appointment if you are an adult.
For children under the age of 8, an appointment is required.
For specialised tests, such as the Basophil Activation Test (BAT), we can only accept patients at specific days (Monday to Thursday).
For cultures, samples must be brought in, or have the sampling done no later than 1:00 pm on Friday.
For example here.
Is the waiting time long?
In cases of examinations that do not require an appointment, the patient comes to our office and within a few minutes the secretary will assist him/her. The waiting time is usually no more than 10 minutes.
Does the whole process take long?
The service and completion time of the blood collection does not take long and usually does not exceed 15 minutes.
Does menstruation affect the tests?
There are tests which can be affected by menstruation, not only during, but also before or after it.
A few days before, after and during menstruation, blood iron levels drop. In severe loss of blood, in addition to a decrease in iron, a drop in ferritin, platelet and hematocrit levels may also be observed.
Small changes may also be observed in tests such as Red Blood Cell Sedimentation Rate, magnesium, cholesterol and aldosterone levels, as well as white blood cell counts.
Finally, during menstruation, urine tests results may also be affected. Instructions for urine collection can be found here.
Instructions for collecting urine for urinalysis or urine culture.
A urinalysis is recommended to be done with urined collected when waking up in the morning.
After the area has been well cleaned with soap and plenty of water, it is collected mid-urination in a sterile urine collector. The urinal does not need to be filled. 15 ml is enough. The urine must be brought to the laboratory within half an hour. If transport is to be delayed, then the sample should be refrigerated (4 °C).
In order to do a urine culture, antibiotics should not be taken. In cases where an antibiotic has been taken, laboratory staff should be informed. Urine collection is done similarly to collection for urinalysis.
Instructions for the collection of faeces for parasitological
The collection is done in a sterile plastic container and the sample can be from any random bowel movement during the day. The required quantity is approx. 8-10 grams. The sample should be taken to the laboratory as soon as possible.
If no cysts are found in the stools of random defecation, then a saline laxative should be taken the night before, as many parasites are attached to the intestinal wall and are difficult to expel. The use of saline laxative increases the chances of finding detached parasites in the sample due to both the intense bowel movement from the laxative action and the “flushing” of the bowel by frequent stool movement. Morning diarrhoeal stools (second or third) are immediately taken to the laboratory. Do not store in the refrigerator.
Instructions for collecting stool for stool culture
The collection is done in a sterile plastic container and the sample can be from any random bowel movement during the day. The required quantity is approx. 8-10 grams. Stool can be stored in the refrigerator.
Can I smoke before the blood draw?
It is recommended to avoid smoking before blood draw. Smoking stimulates the medulla and adrenal cortex. There are tests that are affected by smoking, such as glucose (which increases within 10 minutes and continues for 1 hour) and growth hormone (which doubles within 30 minutes).
It is worth noting that in chronic smokers there is an increase in red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and erythrocyte markers MCV and MCH. White blood cells are often increased by up to 35%, and all white blood cell types increase, except eosinophils, which decrease.
What tests does the full blood count include?
The full blood count includes the measurement of red and white blood cells, the type of white blood cells, platelets, as well as hematocrit, hemoglobin, erythrocyte markers, and some platelet parameters.
*Caution: The ‘full blood test’ is different to other “full general blood tests” that are done preventively for a standard check-up (see next question)
What tests can I do preventively for a standardcheck up/ typical check
Depending on the patient’s needs, additional tests can be added, such as in cases where there is a history of thyroid disease or osteoporosis.
| Children, young people | Men <40 years | Men >40 years | Women |
| Full Blood Test | Full Blood Test | Full Blood Test | Full Blood Test |
| ΤΚΕ | ΤΚΕ | ΤΚΕ | ΤΚΕ |
| Sugar Blood Test | Sugar Blood Test | Sugar Blood Test | Sugar Blood Test |
| Urea | Urea | Urea | Urea |
| Creatinine | Creatinine | Creatinine | Creatinine |
| Uric Acid | Uric Acid | Uric Acid | Uric Acid |
| Cholesterol | Cholesterol | Cholesterol | Cholesterol |
| Triglycerides | Triglycerides | Triglycerides | Triglycerides |
| HDL | HDL | HDL | HDL |
| LDL | LDL | LDL | LDL |
| SGOT | SGOT | SGOT | SGOT |
| SGPT | SGPT | SGPT | SGPT |
| γ-GT | γ-GT | γ-GT | γ-GT |
| ALP | Urinalysis | PSA | Iron |
| Iron | Urinalysis | Ferritin | |
| Ferritin | Urinalysis | ||
| Urinalysis |
At what age can blood be drawn?
There is no specific age limit. Usually, the pediatrician recommends a screening during the first or second year of life.
In cases where a disease is diagnosed in infancy, or the obstetrician recommends a recheck for an examination, blood sampling can also be done from the age of just a few days old.
Is there a Phlebotomist for childern?
There is specialized staff for blood draws for children, as well as a child-friendly blood draw area.
We always ask for the cooperation of the parents, who are requested to follow the staff’s instructions, in order for the blood draw to be as quick and painless as possible.
During my last blood draw, the collection area was darkened. Why does this happen?
Local darkenning of the skin happens due to a delay in adequate clotting at the puncture point of the vein, whereas the skin puncture above it had healed adequatelly to preven the blood from flowing out. This can also be observed when there is increased blood pressure.
When the blood draw is finished, enough pressure should be applied with the cotton pad for 1 to 2 minutes, and for 1 more minute with the adhesive bandage (hanzaplast).
This time is longer for people taking anticoagulants, and additional bandaging with adhesive tape and cotton over the hanzaplast is recommended.
In the case of children, tight bandaging with adhesive tape and cotton is usually done for 3 to 4 minutes, and then the hanzaplast is placed. This is mainly happens in cases where the child is upset during and after the blood draw, as due to the increased pressure from his crying and agitation, more time is required for the puncture point to heal.
It is common for children to experience localized darkening, but this in no way affects the vein or the child.
Can the resutls be sent?
Yes, results can be sent by email – as well as post, or courier at the recipient’s expense.
They can also be sent via email to the referring physician, in cases where the laboratory already has the physician’s information, otherwise the info can be provided by the patient on the day of the blood draw.
How many days does it take for the results to be sent?
Timing varies depending on the type of exam.