Lithium heparin tubes are specialised blood assortment units coated with lithium heparin, an anticoagulant. They forestall blood from clotting, permitting for the separation of plasma, which is then analyzed. Any such tube is often utilized when plasma samples are required for numerous laboratory analyses. For instance, a lithium heparin tube could also be used to gather blood samples for a complete metabolic panel.
Using lithium heparin tubes provides a number of benefits. The ensuing plasma is mostly much less liable to interference in comparison with serum, which is obtained from clotted blood. Traditionally, heparin has been a most popular anticoagulant in scientific chemistry as a consequence of its minimal impression on enzyme exercise. This has made it essential for acquiring correct and dependable outcomes, significantly in time-sensitive diagnostic settings.