This fact sheet outlines our approach to ordering lab tests for psychiatric inpatients.

Benzodiazepines can be a tricky class of medications to manage, especially in inpatient settings where patients may have complex needs or a history of substance use.

In this fact sheet, we present our approach to ordering lab tests for psychiatric patients, focusing on those most relevant to newly admitted inpatients.

Pharmacogenetic testing examines genetic variations that influence how patients metabolize and respond to psychiatric medications.

Liver function tests (LFTs) are critical in psychiatry because the liver metabolizes most psychotropic medications, and because heavy alcohol or substance use may impair hepatic function.

The kidneys filter the blood and eliminate unwanted chemicals, including metabolic byproducts of medications.

This fact sheet outlines when to order an ECG, which psychiatric medications warrant ECG monitoring, and how to interpret basic ECG findings.

The basic metabolic panel is commonly ordered at admission on psychiatric units.