Always follow the specific instructions given by your GP, specialist, or the testing facility. This guide covers general preparation — your individual instructions may differ based on your medications or clinical situation.
Fasting
✅Not required: FBC/FBE, UEC/EUC, LFTs, TSH/T4, HbA1c, PSA, CRP, B12, folate, coeliac screen, most pathology
⏱️8–12 hours fasting required: fasting glucose, fasting lipids/cholesterol, fasting triglycerides, iron studies (ferritin is fine non-fasting), fasting insulin, some hormone tests
💧Plain water is always fine and encouraged — it helps your veins
☕No coffee, tea, juice, or milk if fasting — even black unsweetened coffee affects glucose
Medications
✅Take all regular medications as usual with a sip of water unless told otherwise
⚠️Biotin (vitamin B7) supplements can interfere with thyroid and other immunoassays — stop 48 hours before if taking high-dose biotin
What to bring
📄Your pathology request form (from your GP)
💳Medicare card and any health care/concession card
💧Drink water beforehand — hydrated veins are much easier to access
If you accidentally ate
💬Tell the collector. They may note it on the form and still collect (suitable for some tests), or advise rebooking. Don't just not mention it — it affects result interpretation.
Fasting / food
✅No fasting required. Eat and drink normally.
What to wear
👕Wear a loose, easy-to-remove top. You will need to expose your chest, ankles, and wrists for electrode placement.
🚫Avoid lotions, oils, or powder on chest skin — they prevent electrodes sticking
Medications
✅Take all regular medications as usual. Do not alter heart medications before an ECG.
Source: Healthdirect Australia; Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
Day before / morning of fitting
🚿Shower or bathe before fitting — you may not be able to fully shower for the recording period (waterproofing varies by device; ask your clinic)
🚫Do NOT apply deodorant, lotion, or powder to your chest — this is critical for electrode adhesion
✅Eat and drink normally. No fasting required.
What to wear
👕Wear a loose shirt that buttons or zips at the front — easier than a pullover with wires attached
📎Bring a clip or belt to attach the recorder to
Medications
✅Take all regular medications as usual. Do not stop heart medications without specific instruction from your cardiologist.
During the recording
📓Keep a symptom diary — note time and activity whenever you feel palpitations, dizziness, or chest discomfort. This is the most important thing you can do to help interpretation.
🚫Avoid electric blankets, strong magnets, and MRI scanners during the recording period
🏃Continue normal activities — the whole point is to capture your heart during real life
On the day of fitting
✅Eat and drink normally. No fasting required.
👕Wear a loose-fitting top with a sleeve that can be rolled up easily over your upper arm
🚿Shower before the fitting — the cuff and device are not waterproof (some modern devices tolerate light water; confirm with your clinic)
Medications
✅Take blood pressure medications as usual unless specifically instructed otherwise — the test is recording your blood pressure on your current treatment
During the recording
💪When you feel the cuff inflate, keep your arm still, relaxed, and at your side — movement gives false readings
😴Sleep with the device on your non-dominant arm — the overnight readings are clinically important
📓Keep a diary of activity, meals, and sleep if given one — helps the doctor interpret unusually high readings
Fasting / food
✅No fasting required for a standard transthoracic echo. Eat and drink normally.
⚠️If you are having a transoesophageal echo (TOE) — different procedure, probe goes into your throat — you WILL need to fast for at least 4–6 hours. Your letter will specify.
What to wear
👕Wear a two-piece outfit — you will undress to the waist. A top that unbuttons at the front is easiest.
Medications
✅Take all regular medications as usual. No changes needed.
What to expect
🛏️You lie on a couch on your left side. Warm gel is applied to your chest. The probe is pressed firmly at several positions to get different heart views.
😮💨You may be asked to hold your breath briefly or breathe deeply — follow the sonographer's instructions
Food and drink
🍽️Avoid heavy meals for 2–3 hours beforehand — exercising with a full stomach is uncomfortable
☕Avoid caffeine on the day of the test unless advised otherwise — it can affect heart rate response
✅Light eating (e.g. toast 2 hours before) is fine. Drink water normally.
Medications — important
⚠️Ask your GP or cardiologist specifically about your heart medications before the test. Some beta-blockers and rate-limiting calcium channel blockers may need to be withheld — but only if instructed. Never stop medications without advice.
✅Bring a complete list of all your current medications to the appointment
What to wear
👟Wear comfortable walking or running shoes — you will be exercising on a treadmill
👕Wear comfortable, loose clothing. You will have ECG electrodes placed on your chest — a front-opening top is helpful
🚫No lotions, oils, or deodorant on chest skin
During the test
🗣️Tell the team immediately if you develop chest pain, severe breathlessness, dizziness, leg pain, or feel unwell — the test is stopped safely at any point
🏃Exercise as hard as you safely can — the test is most informative when you reach your target heart rate
Source: CSANZ Clinical Exercise Stress Testing position statement 2014; MBS item 11729. See also:
Stress test explained →
Preparation
✅No fasting required. No special preparation needed.
👕Wear loose, comfortable clothing you can roll up easily — cuffs are placed on both upper arms and both ankles
🛏️You will need to rest lying flat for 5–10 minutes before the test to stabilise resting blood pressure
Medications
✅Take all regular medications as usual.
Day before / day of
☕Avoid caffeine from midday on the day of a lab-based study (coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks) — it can delay sleep onset and affect results
🍷Avoid alcohol on the night of the study — alcohol suppresses REM sleep and can mask apnoea severity
🚿Shower and wash hair before a lab study — clean hair improves electrode contact for EEG monitoring
🚫Do not apply hairspray, gel, moisturiser, or nail polish — these interfere with sensors and electrodes
What to bring (lab study)
🛏️Your own pillow if you prefer — many people sleep better with a familiar pillow
👕Comfortable pyjamas or sleepwear — loose and comfortable
📱Phone charger, any toiletries you need for the next morning
💊Regular medications — take them at your usual times
Medications
⚠️Inform the sleep lab if you take sleeping tablets, sedatives, opioids, or stimulants — these may affect the study. Do not stop them without medical advice; the lab needs to know they're being taken.
✅All other regular medications — take as usual
Full bladder (early scans only)
💧Dating scan (before 12 weeks): Drink 600ml of water 1 hour before and do not empty your bladder. A full bladder pushes the uterus up into view for transabdominal scanning.
✅Nuchal (11–13 weeks), morphology (17–22 weeks), growth scan: Empty bladder before — full bladder not required at these gestations
What to wear
👕A two-piece outfit is easiest — you may need to pull up your top and lower your waistband. The sonographer will use gel on your abdomen.
What to bring
📄Your GP referral/request form
💳Medicare card
📅Your pregnancy records (if you have a hand-held record)
⚠️ Bowel preparation (colonoscopy)
📋Always follow the specific bowel prep instructions from your gastroenterologist or surgeon — they vary by preparation type. General principles below.
🥗Low-fibre diet for 2–3 days before (avoid seeds, nuts, wholegrains, raw vegetables, fruit with skins)
💊Bowel prep laxative solution taken the evening before (and sometimes morning of) — drink as directed, typically 2–4 litres
💧Clear fluids only on the day before (water, clear broth, black tea/coffee, clear juice, jelly). Nothing red or purple (resembles blood)
🚫Nothing by mouth for 4–6 hours before the procedure (your letter will specify)
Fasting (gastroscopy)
🚫Fast for at least 6 hours — no food, no milk, no cloudy drinks
💧Plain water up to 2 hours before is usually permitted — confirm with your facility
Medications — important
⚠️Blood thinners (warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran, clopidogrel) — specific advice from your doctor required. Often held for several days before.
⚠️Diabetes medications — insulin doses typically need adjustment on fasting days. Discuss with your GP.
⚠️Iron tablets — usually stopped 5–7 days before a colonoscopy (iron residue coats the bowel wall)
✅Most other medications — take with a sip of water as usual unless instructed otherwise
After the procedure
🚗You will have sedation — you cannot drive for 24 hours. Arrange a responsible adult to take you home.
Source: Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA) colonoscopy prep guidelines; Healthdirect Australia
Fasting
✅CT without contrast: No fasting required.
⏱️CT with IV contrast: 4–6 hours fasting from solid food. Fluids usually permitted up to 2 hours before. Your appointment letter will specify.
✅MRI (most types): No fasting required unless your letter specifies otherwise.
Contrast and kidney function
🩸If you need IV contrast (iodine for CT, gadolinium for MRI), your radiologist may require a recent creatinine/eGFR result — kidney function must be adequate before contrast is given safely
⚠️Tell the radiology centre if you have: diabetes (especially if taking metformin), kidney disease, previous contrast reaction, thyroid disease, or are pregnant
💊Metformin: Often withheld on the day of a contrast CT and for 48 hours after — ask your GP in advance
MRI — metal and implants
🚫Remove all metal jewellery, piercings, hairpins, and underwired bras before entering the MRI room
⚠️Tell the MRI centre if you have: a pacemaker, defibrillator (ICD), cochlear implant, metal fragments in your eyes, certain vascular clips, or joint replacements — not all implants are MRI-compatible
Information only — not medical advice. Always follow the preparation instructions provided by your GP, specialist, or testing facility. If you have not received specific instructions, contact the facility before your appointment.