American Medical Technologist (AMT) Practice Exam 2026 – All-in-One Resource to Guarantee Exam Success!

Sodium fluoride is used as an additive in blood samples to prevent glycolysis, which is the process by which glucose is broken down. When blood samples are drawn for analysis, especially for glucose testing, it is essential to halt glycolysis to ensure accurate measurement of glucose levels. Sodium fluoride works by inhibiting the enzymes involved in glycolysis, thus preserving the glucose concentration in the sample.

In contrast, sodium oxalate is primarily used as an anticoagulant in blood samples but does not specifically inhibit glycolysis. Similarly, sodium citrate is also an anticoagulant used primarily in coagulation studies and does not have the same effect on glycolysis as sodium fluoride. Ethanol, while it can affect metabolic processes in cells, is not typically used as an additive to prevent glycolysis and would not serve the purpose of preserving glucose levels in a sample. Thus, sodium fluoride is the best choice for preventing the breakdown of glucose in blood samples.