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The FDA also notes that at-home tests that say they are “traceable” to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may be more accurate than others. One difference you may experience is the level of guidance provided after the test is complete. After a few minutes, pull the side tab on the meter to start the reaction.
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What Does A Cholesterol Test Measure
Your health care team can do a simple blood test, called a “lipid profile,” to measure your cholesterol levels. It is important for someone to know their cholesterol levels to make certain lifestyle changes to get to a healthy range. Numbers outside the desired level may mean a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. Other tests may involve mailing the blood sample to a lab that performs the test and issues results. With laboratory-based tests, people receive their at-home test kit with all the necessary tools, such as alcohol swabs, collection tubes, and pre-addressed envelopes. Once they collect their blood sample, they can send it to a laboratory, where a healthcare professional performs the test.
Other risk factors, such as smoking, diabetes and high blood pressure, will be considered as well. If you obtain cholesterol screening results from a source outside of your doctor’s office, be sure to share those with your primary care physician. Additional data points help to establish your cardiovascular risk. In addition, even if you consistently get normal results from your cholesterol home kit test strips, it's very important to consult with your health care provider. Your health care provider may conduct other tests aside from the cholesterol screening. In addition, even if you consistently get normal results from your cholesterol home kit test strips, it’s very important to consult with your health care provider.
Our picks for the best at-home cholesterol tests
Wrap a clean tissue around your finger pad if needed to stop the bleeding, but don’t put the test strip down in the process. The lancets themselves look a bit like large sewing needles, but few if any test kids use lancets that aren’t pre-loaded into individual pens. Lancet pens are much easier to use than loose lancets, so always choose a kit that contains pre-loaded pens.
However, if you have not been contacted in a short period of time, it is reasonable to contact your health care professional and ask for the test results. If youre taking medications that could increase your cholesterol levels, such as birth control pills, your doctor may ask you to stop taking them a few days before your test. Its easy to measure at home with no equipment and offers useful information about your heart and overall fitness. If symptoms are present, they are usually from a condition caused by high cholesterol.
How Do Home Cholesterol Tests Work
This will help your doctor determine the best treatment options for you if your cholesterol is high. The purpose of the cholesterol blood test is to determine whether treatment is needed for high cholesterol. The bad cholesterol can, however, over time result in fatty buildup being deposited in the blood vessels.
Assessing a color-coded test strip too early or too late could give you an incorrect result. You’ll feel a bit of pain when the lancet pricks your finger, but it will only last for a few seconds. This might include things like changing your diet or taking medicine.
Best personalized report
The test strips are inserted into the electronic device and a small computer measures the amount of cholesterol automatically. The electronically metered cholesterol home test kit costs more than the paper test strip method. The electronic meter kit, however, is helpful if you want to check your cholesterol level more frequently.
Here are some common testing solutions that may work for you. It is essential for people to follow all manufacturers directions to get the most accurate results. When choosing an at-home cholesterol test, people should check it is affiliated with the CDCs tracking program. This means the test meets the programs standards for accuracy. Making healthy food choices and exercising are two ways to reduce your risk of developing high cholesterol. Weâve written a short article on what markers you should get results for and what tests are most common for at home cholesterol monitoring.
Another, whose LDL is 105 and HDL is 75, has a much healthier profile. When you eat, your body breaks down fats in your food into smaller molecules called triglycerides. High levels of triglycerides in your blood increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
This will make it more difficult to interpret your test results. A person should only fast if their doctor or the test manufacturer recommends it. You should start getting your cholesterol checked during your adolescent years. Children should have their cholesterol tested at least once between the ages of nine and 11 and again when they are between the ages of 17 and 21. It provides a large digital readout of your results within 45 seconds of testing.
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