Important Note

• Ask patient if physician has given them medication the night before - if so, order a Cortisol Level between the hours of 8am - 10am.
• If the physician has not given them medication, they may need to be scheduled with ORU (645-3743) to have the medication and testing performed. 
• Different physicians have different protocols, always call and verify with ordering physician if they have not clearly stated what tests to be performed at what times on the request. (for example, some physicians want only Cortisol collected, some may request ACTH, Renin, or Aldosterone levels.  Some may want blood draws at baseline, 10 min and 30 min while others may request baseline, 30 min and 60 min draws.)
• Do not order a Dexamethasone Level if the requisition states Dexamethasone Suppression.
• Do not order an ACTH test if the word suppression or stimulation is somewhere in the name of the order.
• If in doubt, contact the ordering provider to ensure that the proper test procedure is followed.