Serum Nicotine is to detect the presence of and/or measure the quantity of nicotine or cotinine in blood, urine, saliva, or sometimes hair; to determine whether someone uses tobacco or has been exposed to secondhand smoke; sometimes performed to evaluate for acute nicotine poisoning. A blood sample or a random urine sample, sometimes a saliva sample or, rarely, a hair sample is required for this test.
Whenever someone requires confirmation of tobacco usage or exposure to secondhand smoke; occasionally when nicotine overdose is suspected, this test is refered to do by the doctors.
Serum nicotine concentration in the range of 30 to 50 ng/mL with cotinine in the range of 200 to 800 ng/mL indicates the subject is either actively using a tobacco product or on nicotine replacement therapy.
