Home Cholesterol Test Kits

These days with the best technological inventions, people can live their lives with ease. Even with medical advancements, it is not tough to get certain medical tests and diagnosis done at home. The best example of these would be sugar testing kits. Every person with type 1 or type 2 diabetes has a glucometer at home. This device makes it easier to check their real-time blood sugar levels so that they can act accordingly. Another example would be blood pressure machines. Now, the same facilities are available to check cholesterol at home.

Naturally, these testing kits come with a plethora of benefits. It makes it easier for people to know their values at any time in the day and to have an aggregate understanding of how their weeks or months are going so that they can be aware of their overall prognosis and how their treatment is going.

With the minimal need to visit the doctor’s office for regular testing and check-up, you can now avail these benefits at home and simply visit your team of healthcare professionals with your report to get their insight and guidance.‍

What is Cholesterol?‍

Cholesterol is a fatty and waxy substance that is produced by the liver. There is a certain requirement for cholesterol in the body as it is used to prepare and produce certain hormones and vitamin D. There are different types of cholesterol present in the human body. Some of these are good cholesterols while others cause harm. The two primary types of cholesterol in the body are:

1. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) – The bad cholesterol that is created due to the excess accumulation of dietary cholesterol. This is the one that can cause a severe plaque build-up in the arteries and lead them to become narrow. This restricts the flow of fresh blood through them to the different parts of the body.

2. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) – This is the good cholesterol in the body. Higher numbers of HDL are recommended in the bloodstream. This is the cholesterol that is responsible for the removal of excess LDL from the body.

Any cholesterol test, or lipid profile, will provide you with a measure of these levels. The higher the LDL, the greater the problem is. You need to make sure that your HDL levels are on the higher side so that they can do their job and protect your body from the harmful effects of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (fats). You can now also check these levels with the help of a home cholesterol kit.

What is a Home Cholesterol Test Kit?

As the name suggests, these are test kits that can be bought and used with the direction and guidance of your healthcare provider. It would be important to check the reliability and validity of these kits before you buy and use them and base your treatment plan on them. Test kits are convenient and efficient and can provide a pretty accurate measure of your cholesterol levels. These can help you monitor your cholesterol levels at home without needing to go to the doctor or a lab frequently. Instead of having to wait for days to provide you the test results, this cholesterol test kit can give you the result in a matter of minutes. These can be purchased at local medical stores or a pharmacy. A standard test kit would contain a lancet that will help you draw blood and some testing strips‍

How to choose an at-home cholesterol test kit

Checking cholesterol at home is now easy and fast. One of the most effective ways would be with the help of an at-home kit. Depending on your condition and the frequency with which you should be checking these levels, you can speak to your doctor to discuss the type of kit you should buy. This kit should serve your purpose. Here are a few considerations that can be kept in mind while you are selecting your testing kit:

1. The laboratories – Check whether the company that is manufacturing and selling this testing kit is associated with an authentic and certified lab. This certification can be the hallmark of proof that the device will meet quality testing standards and will hold the necessary federal certifications that are required for accurate results.
2. Consultations – Many brands are also affiliated with doctors and they offer doctor consultations to people who would like to discuss their results. This may only be available for people who have a positive (high) cholesterol test result.
3. Design – For some people, the basic requirement may be that the kit is small, light, and easily portable. This can come in handy when a person is traveling but still needs to be updated with their cholesterol numbers.
4. Guide – It would be ideal to choose a device that is user-friendly and will give the users a guide explaining how it should be used and what to do when certain readings are obtained.
5. Subscriptions – Cholesterol kits for home may be priced but some companies may also offer subscriptions and plans for people who might need to check their levels frequently.

Best cholesterol home test kits

Before purchasing a cholesterol meter, you need to be aware of different options so that you can make an informed decision. A healthy heart is a key to cardiovascular well-being, therefore, taking the necessary steps to ensure that you are keeping your levels in check. Here are some of the best test kits for cholesterol:

1. Accu Answer Portable Machine Cholesterol Checker – This portable machine can help detect your glucose levels, cholesterol, and uric acid in the body. With a battery life of 1 week, it contains a monitoring device, a lancet, and 10 strips each to measure cholesterol, uric acid, hemoglobin, and glucose
2. SD Standard Lipidocare Cholesterol Meter – This device has a memory of 500 readings and uses the finger prick method to detect cholesterol levels in the body. It takes 5 seconds to get the glucose reading and 3 minutes for the cholesterol levels. It measures total cholesterol, HDL, and lipid profile and has a shelf life of 18 months.
3. Mission Cholesterol Meter – This is efficient, reliable, and easy to use and it provides quick results in 150 seconds. It has a memory of 50 test results.
4. Cholesterol Meter – This meter has high strength and longer life. It is also user-friendly and provides top performance. It can help you check total cholesterol, HDL, and triglyceride levels. It also works as a glucometer.
5. CardioChek Lipid Profile Analyzer – This is a cholesterol kit that provides rapid and accurate results. It is easy to use and provides testing on the spot for many factors. It offers 6 parameters and can also be connected to the computer to check the scores and transcribe data.‍

How Is a Cholesterol Home Test Kit Used?

The usage of a home test kit for cholesterol is simple. If you have seen a person with diabetes use a glucometer, the testing kit for cholesterol works similarly. The kit will contain a pricker with a lancet to draw blood and testing strips. Make sure that you clean your finger before you prick it with the help of an alcohol swab. You can also wash it with water but make sure to dry it off completely before pricking.

Use the lancet to prick your finger and place the drop of blood on the testing strip. These strips will have enzymes that will facilitate the chemical reaction promoting a change in color on the test strip. Most test kits will also come with a guide that will help you identify the cholesterol level in your body currently. If the results are alarming or you are not noticing any change even after regular treatment, visit your doctor for more information.‍

Are home cholesterol test kits accurate?‍

The accuracy of a cholesterol home test kit may depend on the brand and its reliability. Naturally, these may not be as accurate as the tests done at the labs with their standardized equipment, but  the accuracy can be enough for a person to know whether any action needs to be taken. It would be important to follow the instructions given in the test guidebook. The best test kits would be the ones that have been certified by medical and health companies.

Many test kits that are used at home only measure the level of total cholesterol in the body. Some of them may provide insight into HDL levels and triglycerides. Usually, LDL is not measured in these testing kits, however, it can be calculated using a formula related to triglycerides, total, and HDL cholesterol values. Most home cholesterol kits do provide an accuracy of 95%, but it is advised to take these as approximations and not replace the tests that are conducted by a professional or at a lab.

Any consistencies regarding values– whether the normal or abnormal need to be verified with a healthcare provider. Along with these values, several other risk factors are also checked and evaluated by the doctor like – history, smoking, weight, physical exam, blood pressure, etc.‍

Bottomline

Cholesterol testing at home has also become one of the essential elements just like a thermometer or a glucometer is. Purchasing a cholesterol kit should be done after a lot of care and research. Companies that are reliable and have obtained the right kind of certification for their products should be trusted. Check the accuracy and reliability of these products before buying them. Check your levels regularly and visit your doctors so that you ensure holistic care.

FAQs

1. How can you check your cholesterol at home?

You can check your cholesterol at home with the help of testing kits that are manufactured by companies certified in medical and healthcare. Purchase these devices from a medical store or pharmacy nearby and get them verified by the doctor.

2. Is there an accurate home cholesterol test?

Cholesterol test kit devices that you purchase will come with certifications from specific healthcare companies. These are 95% accurate, however, you can also verify this kit with a report from your lab. Check your cholesterol from the testing kit and at the lab at the same time to check for its accuracy.

3. How can I check my cholesterol without a machine?

Using a lancet (pricking device) and testing strips, you can test cholesterol at home without a machine or any elaborate equipment. These testing kits can be purchased at home and can be used as and when you please to get an insight into your cholesterol levels.

4. Are cholesterol Home Test Kit Reliable?

At-home cholesterol kits can be reliable if they are bought from manufacturers and companies that have obtained certification. These kits are 95% accurate, however, if you notice any inconsistencies, you must report them to your doctor. Frequent normal or abnormal results should be verified with the lab results.