Why Using A Home Cholesterol Test Kit Is More Popular Than Ever

by ericparker

Since becoming available several years ago, the home cholesterol test kit has become one of the most popular home blood test kits. Ease of use and accuracy are among the reasons.

When people first became concerned about their cholesterol levels several years ago, the only way to find out your cholesterol level was to go to the doctor for a blood test. Soon, finger-prick tests were being administered by nurses and other health care workers at drugstores, health fairs and all sorts of other places.

It was only a matter of time, of course before a home cholesterol test kit was developed. But concerns surfaced that home tests were inaccurate, making them a poor substitute for professional testing. It’s not a good idea to make lifestyle changes based upon a potentially inaccurate home cholesterol test kit, the critics charged.

There were also concerns that since a cholesterol test only provides one piece of information and may not indicate a patient’s overall health, the number is meaningless without professional interpretation. That concern, however, has been largely overcome by the ease of access to health information on the Internet.

A lot has changed in only a few short years. Cholesterol testing at home is gaining popularity for a variety of reasons. Here are some of those reasons along with some explanations:

1. Home cholesterol test kits are more accurate than ever. Like most products, these kits have been continually improved since they came on the market. Today’s kits are the most accurate ever available, especially if you carefully follow the directions.

2. Home testing is private. Those who fear their health records becoming public because of new computerized records management procedures or changes in the law can use a home test under a fake name to avoid having their cholesterol numbers associated with them in any way.

3. Testing at home is convenient. Those concerned about their cholesterol level may not need a complete physical every time they want to check their cholesterol, but doctors often schedule an appointment to deliver the results of a cholesterol test so they can get payment for an office visit. When you test at home, you can do it any time of the day or night -- without an appointment.

4. A home cholesterol test kit is less expensive than a doctor’s visit. Doctors sometimes charge hundreds of dollars for those simple office visits, but home test kits cost only a fraction of that. If a cholesterol test is all you want, there’s no reason to pay a fortune.

5. Many people have no doctor to visit. Since a number of people have no health insurance, they have no designated primary care physician to handle tests for them. By testing cholesterol at home, these people can get an important piece of information at a reasonable cost. Other home tests are available for other conditions and situations.

Sure, doctors play a vital role in society. A visit to a doctor or a lab isn’t necessarily needed for simple testing, however. A home cholesterol test kit can provide an inexpensive, convenient, private and perhaps lifesaving alternative to those who can’t or won’t have their cholesterol tested any other way.

While a the level of bad cholesterol in the blood is only one factor in a person’s overall risk of heart disease and stroke, it’s an important factor.

A home cholesterol test kit provides information than can lead to dietary and lifestyle changes. Those changes, in turn, can lead to a longer, better life.

Updated: 11/15/2012, ericparker
 
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ericparker on 11/15/2012

You're welcome. Yes, these tests have been around for years, but they're now more accurate than ever. I appreciate the comment.

katiem2 on 11/15/2012

I had no idea you could check your own cholesterol at home. This is fantastic news thanks for the heads up on practical and affordable home testing. :)K

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