Benzodiazepines (test strip)

The RapidBZO test is an immunochromatography based one step in vitro test. It is designed for qualitative determination of Benzodiazepines and their metabolites in human urine specimens above a cut-off level of 300-ng/ml oxazepam. This assay has not been evaluated in the point of care location and is for use by Healthcare Professionals only. This assay provides only a preliminary analytical test result. A more specific alternative chemical method must be used in order to obtain a confirmed analytical result. The Substance AbuseMental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has established gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry (GC/MS) as the preferred confirmatory method. Clinical consideration and professional judgment should be applied to any drug of abuse test result, particularly when preliminary positive results are indicated. Benzodiazepines are a class of widely prescribed central nervous system depressants, which have anxiolytic, hypnotic, anticonvulsant and muscle relaxant effects. Chronic abusecan result in addiction and tardive dyskinnesia. Acute higher doses lead to drowsiness, dizziness, muscle relaxation, lethargy, and coma and possible death. The effects of benzodiazepines use last 4 – 8 hours. Many of the benzodiazepines share a common metabolic route, and are excreted as oxazepam and its glucuronide in urine. Oxazepam is detectable in the urine for up to 7 days after drug use. However, the length of time following drug use for which a positive result may occur is dependent upon several factors, including the frequency and amount of drug, metabolic rate, excretion rate, drug half-life, and the drug userÕs age, weight, activity and diet. The RapidBZO test is based on the principle ofspecific immunochemical reaction between antibodies and antigens to analyzeparticular compounds in human urine specimen. The assay relies on thecompetition for binding antibody between drug conjugate and free drug, whichmay be present in the urine specimen being tested. When drug is present in the urine specimen,it competes with drug conjugate for the limited amount of antibody-dyeconjugate. When the amount of drug is equal or more than the cut-off, 300 ng/mlof oxazepam, it will prevent the binding of drug conjugate to the antibody.Therefore, a positive urine specimen will not show a colored band on the testline zone, indicating a positive result, while the presence of a colored bandindicates a negative result. A controlline is present in the test window to work as procedural control. This coloredband should always appear on the control line zone if the test device is storedin good condition and the test is performed appropriately.