What collection tube is used for therapeutic drug monitoring?

The correct choice for therapeutic drug monitoring is typically the green top tube. This tube contains heparin, an anticoagulant that is ideal for plasma determinations. The significance of using a green top tube lies in its ability to prevent clotting while preserving the integrity of the plasma, which is essential for accurately measuring the concentration of therapeutic drugs in the blood.

Therapeutic drug monitoring is crucial for drugs with narrow therapeutic ranges, and the chemistry tests performed using plasma samples can provide vital information about a patient's drug levels, efficacy, and safety of therapy. The choice of collection tube is critical, as the appropriate anticoagulant and consistent sample handling play significant roles in the reliability of the test results.

While the other tubes may serve different purposes—such as the red top tube for serum tests or the light blue top tube for coagulation tests—they are not suited for the specific requirements of therapeutic drug monitoring.