Which tube contains potassium oxalate and fluoride and is used for glucose testing?

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Multiple Choice

Which tube contains potassium oxalate and fluoride and is used for glucose testing?

Explanation:
The gray-top tube contains potassium oxalate and sodium fluoride. Potassium oxalate acts as an anticoagulant, keeping the blood from clotting so plasma can be analyzed, while sodium fluoride is a glycolysis inhibitor that stops cells from consuming glucose after collection. This preservation of glucose makes gray-top tubes ideal for glucose testing. In contrast, light blue tops use citrate for coagulation studies, lavender tops use EDTA for hematology, and green tops use heparin for various chemistry tests, so they aren’t the standard choice for glucose measurements.

The gray-top tube contains potassium oxalate and sodium fluoride. Potassium oxalate acts as an anticoagulant, keeping the blood from clotting so plasma can be analyzed, while sodium fluoride is a glycolysis inhibitor that stops cells from consuming glucose after collection. This preservation of glucose makes gray-top tubes ideal for glucose testing. In contrast, light blue tops use citrate for coagulation studies, lavender tops use EDTA for hematology, and green tops use heparin for various chemistry tests, so they aren’t the standard choice for glucose measurements.

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