The Expanded Panel, often called “Expanded Opiate” testing, simply means that labs add the most commonly abused synthetic opioids to a standard 5 or 10-panel drug test.
What are Expanded Opiates?
Normally, when people say “opiates,” they mean morphine, codeine, and 6M-AM (a heroin byproduct). However, that term doesn’t fully describe drugs like oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, and hydrocodone.
To make it clearer, we often call these drugs “expanded opiates”, “extended opiates”, or just include them with the traditional opiates under the broader term opioids. In fact, in 2018, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) updated its federal drug panel to do just that.
Unlike natural opiates, opioids include both natural and synthetic drugs. These synthetic opioids—such as oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, and hydrocodone—are often better known by their brand names:
OxyContin®, Percodan®, Percocet®, Vicodin®, Lortab®, Norco®, Dilaudid®, and Exalgo®.
10 Panel Plus Expanded Opiates (our Expanded Panel)
Amphetamine
Central Nervous System (CNS) Stimulants speed up brain activity. At high doses, they create feelings of euphoria, increased energy, and alertness. However, they can also cause anxiety, paranoia, psychotic behavior, and irregular heartbeats. Common examples include Adderall, Benzedrine, Biphetamine, Dexedrine, Durophet, and Obetrol. This group also includes methamphetamine and MDMA. MDMA acts as both a stimulant and a hallucinogen. Its side effects may include jaw clenching, teeth grinding, dilated pupils, sweating, anxiety, blurred vision, vomiting, and increased blood pressure and heart rate.
Barbiturates
CNS depressants slow down brain activity and produce effects similar to alcohol intoxication. They often cause slurred speech, poor coordination, and impaired judgment. Common examples include Phenobarbital, Nembutal Sodium, Seconal Sodium, Antrocol Elixor, Pentobarbital Sodium, Secobarbital Sodium, Bellergal-S, Donnatal, Kenesed, Luminal, Mudrane GC, Quadrinal, Rexatal, and Solfoton.
Benzodiazepines
Benzos are CNS depressants often prescribed for anxiety and insomnia. At low doses, they act as sedatives; at moderate doses, they reduce anxiety (anxiolytics); and at high doses, they function as hypnotics. However, use can lead to drowsiness and confusion. Common examples include Valium, Rivotril, Halcion (Triazolam), Flurazepam, Ativan (Lorazepam), Dormonocet, and Xanax.
Cocaine
Cocaine is a powerful CNS stimulant and local anesthetic. It causes intense euphoria, confidence, and a boost in energy. Physically, it increases heart rate, dilates pupils, and may lead to fever, tremors, and sweating.
Marijuana (THC)
THC is the main active ingredient in marijuana. People usually smoke or ingest it. It affects the central nervous system, leading to mood changes, altered senses, poor coordination, and short-term memory loss. It can also cause anxiety, paranoia, depression, confusion, hallucinations, and a faster heart rate.
Methadone
Methadone is a synthetic pain reliever often used to treat narcotic addiction. It produces pain relief, sedation, and slows breathing. In high doses, it can lead to coma or even death.
Opiates
Heroin, morphine, and codeine, are CNS depressants. It produces euphoria and release from anxiety. Dependence leads to depressed coordination, disrupted decision making, decreased respiration, hypothermia and coma.
Expanded Opiates
Oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone are semi-synthetic opioids. They create euphoria, relieve pain, and cause sedation. These drugs can lead to dependence, much like morphine. People usually take them orally.
Phencyclidine (PCP)
Also known as “angel dust” or “crystal cyclone,” PCP was originally used as an anesthetic and a veterinary tranquilizer. People may swallow, snort, smoke, or inject it. PCP causes hallucinations, drowsiness, confusion, poor coordination, trance-like states, euphoria, and visual distortions.
Propoxyphene
Propoxyphene is a mild narcotic pain reliever, usually taken orally and often combined with aspirin or acetaminophen. In high doses, it can cause stupor, coma, seizures, breathing problems, irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, fluid in the lungs, and circulatory collapse.
How Do You Conduct an Expanded Panel Drug Test?
To get an Expanded Panel ask for “Expanded Opiates.”