Blodtap

Blodtap is a term found in Nordic languages that roughly translates to “blood drop.” It is used to describe a small sample of blood or the act of obtaining a single drop from a puncture for testing. The word combines blod (blood) with tap (drop or sample) and appears in clinical and educational contexts rather than as a formal, universally defined procedure in English-language literature.

In medical usage, blodtap can refer to capillary blood sampling, such as finger-prick or heel-stick collections used for point-of-care testing, rapid assays, or initial screening procedures. It may also appear in informal or instructional language to describe the moment when a drop of blood forms at a puncture site or is collected for analysis. In some cases, the term is used loosely to denote the act of drawing blood, without implying a distinct method separate from standard phlebotomy.

The exact meaning and scope of blodtap can vary by country and setting, and it is not a standardized term in English medical terminology. Readers encountering the term should consider the local clinical context to determine whether it refers to a capillary drop for testing, the initial blood drop during venipuncture, or simply the act of collecting blood for analysis.

See also: capillary sampling, venipuncture, finger-prick tests, newborn screening.