People these days are now more conscious than ever before of health risks and the need to maintain their well-being. Keeping a close eye on your cholesterol level, in order to prevent heart disease and high blood pressure, is now a simple and convenient process thanks to the development of the cholesterol test kit.
Cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance produced by your body and found in many foods. While the body requires a certain amount of cholesterol to function, too much of this fatty substance can collect in the arteries in the form of a hard deposit called plaque. When this happens, blood flow is restricted, which can lead to heart disease and high blood pressure. Sometimes portions of this plaque can break off and travel to the brain, causing a stroke.
A total cholesterol level over 200 milligrams per deciliter signals a potential problem. A high count of LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) of over 100 contributes to the accumulation of plaque, while a high count of HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) of 50 to 60 helps rid the body of harmful excess cholesterol. So the higher the HDL level the better. Triglycerides are also an important measurement of risk and levels over 150 milligrams per deciliter can be a danger sign.
While no test can guarantee 100% accuracy, even those performed in a professional laboratory, the home cholesterol test kits have proven very reliable. Home cholesterol test kits are not intended to replace a full clinical evaluation visit, which is still required for treatment assessment anyway, but they are still a very useful tool for ongoing cholesterol management.
If you have never had your cholesterol tested, a home test kit can either ease your concerns or signal the need for a visit with your physician. Even if you are under treatment for high cholesterol, physician visits are usually scheduled only every 6 to 12 months for re-evaluation. The home test kit thus enables you to monitor the effectiveness of the medication prescribed between visits and see if it is having a beneficial effect.
Home cholesterol test kits are available in two types: those that check for total cholesterol only and those that produce what is known as a full lipid profile. The latter includes the total LDL (or bad cholesterol level), total HDL (good cholesterol levels) and triglycerides (another form of fat in the blood).
The home test kits that check only the total cholesterol level are completed at home within 15 minutes and typically cost under $20. The full lipid profile test permits the drawing of blood at home, but requires it be sent to a specified laboratory for evaluation, usually in a prepaid envelope and provides results within a few days. These kits are also relatively inexpensive, averaging $30 to $40.
High cholesterol levels do not have any visible symptoms and the damage is done before any symptoms do finally appear, so it is important to keep a close check on cholesterol levels to ensure good health and well-being. Heart disease is still the number one killer and the home cholesterol test is a valuable tool to keep a close check on your levels. The most important possession you can have is the good health to enjoy life.