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The duration of time in which a drug or metabolite can be detected is based on many factors. The following Drug Half-Lives and Urine Detection Windows table provides estimates for drug detection in plasma and serum specimens. Consultation with the laboratory to discuss detection limits for specific assays is advised. Refer to the ARUP Consult Drug Testing topic for more information about laboratory testing strategies for prescription and illicit substances.
| Stimulants | |||
| Drug or Metabolitea (Common Trade and Street Names) | Half-Lifeb | Urine Detection Windowb | Notes |
| Amphetamine (Adderall, Adzenys, Benzedrine, Dexedrine, Dextroamp, Dyanavel, Evekeo, Vyvanse, speed) | 7-34 hrs | 1-7 days | Metabolite of methamphetamine (typically <30% of parent) Elimination is pH dependent |
| Cocaine (coke, crack); typically measured as benzoylecgonine (BE, cocaine metabolite) | 0.7-1.5 hrs | 1-2 days | Parent drug is rarely observed due to short half-life Metabolized to benzoylecgonine |
| Methamphetamine (Desoxyn, Methedrine, Vicks inhaler, selegiline [Atapryl, Carbex, Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar] metabolite) | D- isomer: 6-15 hrs L- isomer: 11-16 hrs | 1-4 days | Two isomers: D and L Metabolized to amphetamine Elimination is pH dependent |
| Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA, tenamfetamine) | — | 1-3 days | Metabolite of MDEA and MDMA |
| Methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA, MDE, Eve) | — | 1-3 days | Metabolite of MDA |
| Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, XTC, Ecstasy, Molly) | 4-12 hrs | 1-3 days | Metabolite of MDA |
| Methylphenidate (Adhansia, Aptensio, Azstarys, Concerta, Cotempla, Daytrana, Focalin, Jornay, Metadate, Methylin, QuilliChew, Quillivant, Ritalin) | 1.4-6.2 hrs | <1 day | Metabolized to ritalinic acid |
| Phentermine (Adipex-P, Lomaira, Qsymia) | 19-24 hrs | 1-5 days | — |
| Opioids | |||
| Drug or Metabolitea (Common Trade and Street Names) | Half-Lifeb | Urine Detection Windowb | Notes |
| Buprenorphine (Belbuca, Brixadi, Buprenex, Butrans, Probuphine, Suboxone, Subutex, Sublocade, Zubsolv) | Parenteral: 2-4 hrs Sublingual or transdermal: 18-49 hrs | 1-10 days | Metabolized to norbuprenorphine |
| Codeine (Tylenol with Codeine No. 3) | 1.2-3.9 hrs | 1-3 days | Included in many preparations and coformulations; could be a standalone medication Metabolized to morphine (typically ~10%), hydrocodone, norcodeine, and glucuronides May be a contaminant of morphine Present in poppy seeds (low concentrations expected) |
| Fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, Fentora, Ionsys, Lazanda, Sublimaze, Subsys) | 3-30 hrs | 1-7 days | Metabolized to norfentanyl |
| Heroin (diacetylmorphine, dope, smack, dust) | 2-6 min | — | Parent drug not detected Small quantities of hydromorphone may be detected Codeine is a common contaminant Metabolized to 6-monoacetylmorphine |
| 6-monoacetylmorphine | 6-25 min | <1 day | Metabolite of heroin Metabolized to morphine |
| Hydrocodone (Anexsia, Hycodan, Hyslinga, Lorcet, Lortab, Maxidone, Norco, Panacet, Vicodin, Zydone) | 3.4-8.8 hrs | 1-3 days | Metabolite of codeine May be a contaminant of oxycodone Metabolized to norhydrocodone |
| Hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Exalgo) | IV or normal release: 3-9 hrs Extended release: 10-22 hrs | 1-4 days | Metabolite of morphine and hydrocodone |
| Meperidine (Demerol, Mepergan) | 2-5 hrs | 1-2 days | Metabolized to normeperidine |
| Methadone (Dolophine, Methadose) | 15-55 hrs | 1-14 days | Metabolized to 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine (EDDP) |
| Morphine (Astramorph, Avinza, DepoDur, Duramorph, Kadian, Mitigo, MS Contin) | 1.3-6.7 hrs | 1-3 days | Included in many preparations and could be a standalone medication Present in poppy seeds (low concentrations expected) Metabolite of heroin |
| Naloxone (Narcan, Kloxxado, Zimhi) | 0.5-2.5 hrs | 1-2 days | May not be detected due to low bioavailability Often coformulated with buprenorphine (Suboxone, Zubsolv) Metabolized to nornaloxone, which is chemically identically to noroxymorphone |
| Oxycodone (Oxycontin, Oxaydo, Roxybond, Roxicodone, Xtampza; with acetaminophen: Endocet, Oxycet, Percocet, Roxicet; with aspirin: Endodan, Percodan, Roxiprin; with ibuprofen: Combunox) | 3-6 hrs | 1-3 days | Metabolized to noroxycodone, oxymorphone/noroxymorphone |
| Oxymorphone (Numorphan, Opana) | 4-12 hrs | 1-3 days | Metabolite of oxycodone Metabolized to noroxymorphone, which is chemically identical to nornaloxone |
| Tapentadol (Nucynta, Palexia) | 3-7 hrs | 1-3 days | Metabolized to tapentadol-O-sulfate |
| Tramadol (Conzip, Nobligan, Ryzolt, Seglentis, Topalgic, Ultracet, Ultram) | 4.3-11 hrs | 1-4 days | Metabolized to O-desmethyltramadol and N-desmethyltramadol |
| O-desmethyltramadol | 6-11 hrs | 1-4 days | Metabolite of tramadol |
| Sedative-Hypnotics | |||
| Drug or Metabolitea (Common Trade and Street Names) | Half-Lifeb | Urine Detection Windowb | Notes |
| Alprazolam (Niravam, Xanax) | 6-27 hrs | 1-5 days | Metabolized to alpha-hydroxyalprazolam |
| Butalbital (Allzital, Axocet, Butapap, Esgic, Fioricet, Fiorinal) | 35-88 hrs | 1-18 days | Barbiturate |
| Carisoprodol (N-iosopropylmeprobamate, Soma, Somadril) | 0.9-2.4 hrs | 1-4 days | Metabolized to meprobamate |
| Meprobamate (Equanil, Miltown, Pathibamate) | 6-17 hrs | 1-4 days | Metabolite of carisoprodol |
| Chlordiazepoxide (Librax, Libritabs, Librium, Limbitrol, Tropium) | 6-27 hrs | 1-10 days | Metabolized to nordiazepam, oxazepam |
| Clonazepam (Clonopin, Klonopin, Rivotril) | 19-60 hrs | 1-12 days | Metabolized to 7-aminoclonazepam |
| Diazepam (Diastat, Diazemuls, Plumiaz, Stesolid, Valium, Valtoxo, Valrelease) | 21-37 hrs | 1-7 days | Metabolized to nordiazepam, temazepam, oxazepam |
| Lorazepam (Ativan, Loreev, Temesta) | 9-16 hrs | 1-7 days | — |
| Midazolam (Dormicum, Hypnovel, Nayzilam, Nazolam, Seizalam, Versed) | 1-4 hrs | 1-2 days | Metabolized to alpha-hydroxymidazolam |
| Nordiazepam (Calmday, Madar, Nordaz, Nordazepam, Stilny, Vegesan) | 31-97 hrs | 1-20 days | Metabolite of several drugs such as chlordiazepoxide, clorazepate (Tranxene), diazepam, halazepam (Paxipam), prazepam (Centrax) |
| Oxazepam (Serax, Serepax, Sobril) | 4-16 hrs | 1-7 days | Metabolite of nordiazepam and temazepam |
| Phenobarbital (Donnatal, Lethyl, Luminal, phenobarbitone) | 2-6 days | 1-16 days | Barbiturate Metabolite of primidone |
| Temazepam (Euhypnos, methyloxazepam, Normison, Restoril) | 3-13 hrs | 1-4 days | Metabolite of diazepam Metabolized to oxazepam |
| Zolpidem (Ambien, Edluar, Intermezzo, Stilnoct, Zolpimist) | 1.4-4.5 hrs | 1-3 days | Metabolizes to zolpidem metabolite |
| Other Drugs | |||
| Drug or Metabolitea (Common Trade and Street Names) | Half-Lifeb | Urine Detection Windowb | Notes |
| Ethanol (typically measured as ethyl glucuronide [EtG] and ethyl sulfate [EtS]) | — | 1-4 days | Metabolized to ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate |
| Gabapentin (Fanatrex, Gabarone, Gralise, Horizant, Neurontin, Nupentin) | 5-9 hrs | 1-2 days | — |
| Phencyclidine (1-phenylcyclohexylpiperidine, PCP, Semyl, Semylan, angel dust) | 7-46 hrs | 1-7 days | — |
| Pregabalin (Lyrica, Neurexal, Regabatin) | 5-11 hrs | 1-2 days | — |
| Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, Marinol, Syndros, dronabinol, marijuana, weed, cannabis, ganja, hashish, pot); typically measured as 11-Nor-9-carboxy tetrahydrocannabinol | Infrequent use: 20-57 hrs Frequent use: 3-13 days | 1-45 days | Most laboratory testing does not distinguish between delta-9, delta-8, and other isomers Low concentrations are common in cannabidiol (CBD) products Metabolized to 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol |
aA metabolite is a modification of the parent drug that is formed in the body, often to promote elimination, and may remain after a drug is modified (metabolized) by the body. Detection of metabolites may be challenging, refer to the Benzodiazepine Metabolism and Opiates and Opioid Metabolism diagrams for more information about how selected drugs are metabolized. bDetection limits should be considered estimates. In general, five half-lives are required for elimination. Numerous factors can affect these numbers. Consultation with the laboratory to discuss detection limits for specific assays is advised. IV, intravenous | |||
ARUP Laboratory Tests
Qualitative Tandem Mass Spectrometry/Qualitative Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique (EMIT)/Qualitative Spectrophotometry
Quantitative Tandem Mass Spectrometry/Qualitative Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique (EMIT)/Quantitative Spectrophotometry
Qualitative Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique (EMIT)/Quantitative Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)/Quantitative Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)/Quantitative Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Qualitative Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique (EMIT)/Quantitative Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)/Quantitative Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Qualitative Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique (EMIT)/Quantitative Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detection/Quantitative Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)/Quantitative Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Qualitative Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)/Quantitative Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)/Quantitative Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry
References
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Disposition of Toxic Drugs and Chemicals in Man
Baselt RC, ed. Disposition of Toxic Drugs and Chemicals in Man. 12th ed. Biomedical Publications; 2020.
For a comprehensive list of ARUP drug testing options, refer to the Laboratory Test Directory.