27/03/2012 by Valuemed.

Cholesterol test kits have now been available for home cholesterol testing for over 10 years. All cholesterol home tests involve testing a blood sample, for home cholesterol testing this is obtained using a lancet, or finger prick needle. This makes home cholesterol testing a problem for anyone who is squeemish or has a needle phobia as most kits only supply a single lancet.

Cholesterol is an ever changing component of blood and real time levels are affected by diet to a great degree. Put simply, cholesterol blood levels can be greatly affected by what you have eaten in the last few hours. For this reason all first time cholesterol screening home tests should ideally be done when you have not eaten for the last 8 hrs, ie first thing in the morning before breakfast. This ensures you are measuring the base line or background total cholesterol levels for your body and not just the fat content of the last fatty meal you digested.

If you are testing for the first time and are seeking the re-assurance of a normal cholesterol level, then the simplest and cheapest kits just test for a single total cholesterol level. These kits are easier to complete than the dual measure tests for total and HDL cholesterol levels. These more complex cholesterol tests are better if a raised cholesterol total level has been detected or is suspected, as they differentiate between the good (HDL) and bad total cholesterol, and show what the ratio is at the time of testing. Most first time home cholesterol testers do not need to know this if the total cholesterol level is healthy. The simple total cholesterol test kits available are simple to complete proceedurally by following the user instructions included in the pack, and most people can handle the finger prick to obtain an adequate blood drop sample to complete the total cholesterol test with a clear and accurate result. Talking of accuracy, the manufacturers have to be able to prove that the test gives accurate results in the vast majority of test samples to obtain the CE mark for the test to be sold in Europe. This means if you follow the test instructions you should be able to get a result which is close in accuracy to a laboratory analysed sample result.

If you have detected a raised cholesterol blood level on a home cholesterol test kit using a fasting blood sample then a differential test to split the LDL and HDL levels will help assess the risk factors to health and future action plan. LDL (low density lipoprotein) is the cholesterol which clogs arteries and you want to reduce. HDL (high density) is the good stuff that’s required to build cells and repair the body, you want more of this. Home cholesterol test kits such as the cholestin pack will give a result for both LDL and HDL. these cholesterol home tests are a little more expensive and are more complex to complete but come with good clear instructions and the majority of self testers complet the test with both results obtained reliably. A key tip is to ensure you can use the lancets with confidence to obtain a sufficient blood sample droplet(s) to complet both elements of the test.

For people in treatment for elevated cholesterol levels there are also electronic test monitors which are available with test strips which are read by the monitor to give a digital level. This is cost effective if you are expecting to test regularly, and gets the cost of home testing for cholesterol down to around £5 per test if you allow for depreciation on the electronic monitor.

Click here for more information ot to buy home cholesterol test kits & monitors http://www.valuemed.co.uk/acatalog/Cholesterol_Tests.html

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14/09/2010 by admin.

High blood cholesterol is a risk factor for coronary heart disease.

‘I’m 46 and I know I should probably get my cholesterol checked, but my life is so busy, I just do not have the time right now, to book an appointment and get it checked.’

If this sounds familiar, then a home cholesterol test kit is an ideal way for you to screen yourself for elevated blood cholesterol levels, quickly and cheaply at home.

The home cholesterol test kits have been designed for self testing to be quick and easy to use

Home Cholesterol Testing is simple & quick:

Use the lancet provided to get a drop of blood from your finger tip & apply to the test strip, after 40 seconds compare the colour on the strip to the enclosed chart.

Click here for more information or to buy a home cholesterol testing kit

Posted in Cholesterol testing kit, Cholesterol test, Home test kit, Home testing kits, Home health test kits | Print | 1 Comment »