If you are pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI), the state of North Carolina requires that you consent to a blood, urine or breath test if requested by the law enforcement officer.
If the test returns a positive result, the police have a duty to use this evidence to arrest and present you in court for prosecution. However, it is important to understand that a breath test is not always accurate. Certain medical conditions can negatively affect your test and result in a false positive. Your BAC test could return a false positive if you are suffering from any of the following conditions:
Diabetes
Individuals struggling with diabetes are likely to have high concentrations of ketones in their breath. Continued build-up of ketones in the body can result in a condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). And the symptoms of DKA tend to mimic those of alcohol impairments. If you are subjected to a breathalyzer test, the ketones in your breath, which are similar in composition to isopropyl alcohol, can trigger a false-positive reading.
Asthma
Since asthma medications are inhaled, the residues are usually trapped in the air passage for an extended period. Due to the presence of chlorofluorocarbons in asthma medications like Albuterol, Salmeterol and Budesonide, individuals on these medications can register a false positive during the BAC test administration.
Breathalyzers are not 100% reliable. If you suffer from any of these conditions, it is important that you raise the matter with the police during the BAC test administration so it can be captured in the report.