What is the purpose of sodium fluoride?

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Prepare for the NHCO Order of Draw Test with engaging flashcards and multiple choice questions. Understand each procedure with detailed hints and explanations. Maximize your chances of success!

Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of sodium fluoride?

Explanation:
Sodium fluoride preserves glucose by inhibiting glycolysis after the blood is drawn. When blood sits, cells keep metabolizing glucose, which lowers the measured glucose level. Fluoride blocks the glycolytic pathway (the enolase step), so glucose remains closer to the patient’s true value until analysis. In gray-top tubes, the fluoride is paired with an anticoagulant (usually potassium oxalate); fluoride’s role is not to prevent clotting. So the best description is that sodium fluoride preserves glucose by inhibiting glycolysis.

Sodium fluoride preserves glucose by inhibiting glycolysis after the blood is drawn. When blood sits, cells keep metabolizing glucose, which lowers the measured glucose level. Fluoride blocks the glycolytic pathway (the enolase step), so glucose remains closer to the patient’s true value until analysis. In gray-top tubes, the fluoride is paired with an anticoagulant (usually potassium oxalate); fluoride’s role is not to prevent clotting. So the best description is that sodium fluoride preserves glucose by inhibiting glycolysis.

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