Uric Acid Test

No special preparation is required for Urine test to be taken. However, certain medicines and habits may interfere with the results of these tests. Few of them, which might interfere with the results are Aspirin, Ibuprofen, consumption of Alcohol and high levels of vitamin C. And for the blood test the patient should fast 4 hours prior.

Both tests have same uses which are:

To Diagnose and monitor people with gout.
To Monitor people who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment.
To Find the cause of kidney stones.
To Diagnose kidney disorders.
If there is swelling in a joint
If there is a reddened or discolored skin around a joint
If a high amount of Uric acid is found, it may also because of the presence of Kidney stones.
The measure of Uric acid level in urine is 250 to 750 mg/24 hours. Higher than normal indicates the presence of Gout or Kidney stones. Whereas, lower than normal indicates lead poisoning, alcoholism.
The measure of Uric acid in blood varies with sex, for men being 4.0 – 8.5 mg/dL and for women 2.5 -7.5 mg/dL.

For Blood Test: For the blood to be drawn, at first the area is cleansed with an antiseptic and tourniquet is placed around the upper arm for pressure.

A needle is inserted into the vein and blood is drawn and collected in a vial. Now, the tourniquet is removed and the patient is provided with cotton balls to prevent further bleeding. However, if this test is to be undertaken for an infant or young children,a small cut is made on the arm and blood is collected using a test strip or a slide. For Urine Test: The First day after waking up urinate and flush it off. After that, note down the time and collect the urine sample for the rest of the 24 hours in a sterile container provided by the lab technician. Store the container in a cool place or refrigerator and hand over the sample to the lab technician.