A patient scheduled for a fasting lipid panel arrives and reports eating a handful of crackers two hours ago. What is the most appropriate action by the medical assistant?

A patient scheduled for a fasting lipid

Multiple choice — select the best answer

ADraw the specimen immediately because crackers are a low-fat food and will not affect results
BAsk the patient to drink two large glasses of water to dilute the lipids before drawing
CNotify the provider and reschedule the draw so the patient can complete the full required fast
DDraw the specimen and note on the requisition that the patient fasted for 2 hours

✓ Correct answer: C. Notify the provider and reschedule the draw so the patient can complete the full required fast A standard fasting lipid panel requires 9–12 hours of fasting; any food intake invalidates the fast, so the appropriate action is to inform the provider and reschedule rather than draw an invalid specimen.

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A patient scheduled for a fasting lipid panel arrives and reports eating a handful of crackers two hours ago. What is the most appropriate action by the medical assistant?

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