Therapeutic drug levels

Alternative names:

acetaminophen, amikacin, aminophylline, amitriptyline, carbamazepine, chloramphenicol, desipramine, digitoxin, digoxin, disopyramide, ethosuximide, flecainide, gentamicin, imipramine, kanamycin, lidocaine, lithium, methotrexate, nortriptyline, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, procainamide, propranolol, quinidine, salicylate, serum drug levels; TDM; theophylline, therapeutic drug monitoring; tobramycin, valproic acid, serum

What the risks are:

Risks associated with venipuncture are slight:

• excessive bleeding
• fainting or feeling lightheaded
• hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
• infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
• multiple punctures to locate veins

Special considerations:

Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.