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MisPandora -> RE: xanax (7/12/2007 3:00:20 AM)
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One, it's going to depend on what they're testing for. Standard employment panels look for "the five" (NIDA-5) -- Cannabinoids, Cocaine, Amphetamines, Opiates and PCP. Expanded panels (Ten Screens) will look for benzos (the class where Alprazolam is located) among other things including barbituates, inhalants, methadone and alcohol.
UDS (urine drug screens) usually look at drug use within a week's time, unless the user is habitual. Hair tests that go to the DNA level detect positives two times more frequently than the UDS does, but, they don't generally detect use within a week's time. Blood is more accurate than both.
Forensically, benzos can be seen in the urine and blood within 2-7 hours of ingestion, and clear the body within 1-42 days. It really varies by metabolism and drug type and frequency of use. SSensitivity standard levels of BZO is 300 nanograms per ML, and they're looking for existance of the substance AND it's metabolite in trace levels in your system. And taken directly from the PDR, the following is true about the plasma concentration levels and metabolic half-life of the drug: "Plasma levels are proportionate to the dose given; over the dose range of 0.5 to 3.0 mg, peak levels of 8.0 to 37 ng/mL were observed. Using a specific assay methodology, the mean plasma elimination half-life of alprazolam has been found to be about 11.2 hours (range: 6.3-26.9 hours) in healthy adults."
Hope this helps.
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