What To Eat The Night Before A Cholesterol Test
A healthcare professional or the manufacturers of an at-home test should provide instructions on whether a person needs to fast or if they can eat and drink as they normally would before taking a cholesterol test.
If a person needs to fast, this usually means that they can only drink water for a certain amount of time before the test.
Buying Guide For Best Home Cholesterol Test Kits
If your cholesterol levels dont fall within normal ranges, you are at risk for strokes and cardiovascular disease. To stay healthy, lipid profile blood testing as prescribed by your healthcare provider is important. However, in between doctor visits, how do you know if youre keeping your levels in check?
Home cholesterol test kits provide an easy way to test various forms of cholesterol and triglycerides. Many tests available on todays market offer a high degree of accuracy, and some are even approved by the Food and Drug Administration . And while home cholesterol testing should never take the place of thorough lipid testing performed by your doctor, its a good tool for monitoring your numbers before your next visit.
How Do You Feel When Your Triglycerides Are Very High
Another warning sign of very high triglycerides is a condition called acute pancreatitis. Symptoms include sudden severe belly pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, rapid heartbeat, and rapid breathing. Alcohol can trigger an attack of pancreatitis, and if you have high triglycerides, alcohol can shoot them up even higher.
When should I worry about my triglycerides?
Recent evidence suggests you should work to reduce triglyceride levels of they are higher than normal, especially if you have heart disease or have other risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure or smoking.
| Triglyceride levels |
|---|
| 500 or higher |
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What Happens During A Triglycerides Test
During the test, a health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.
Can I Monitor Triglyceride Levels At Home
A few products are available to test lipid levels, including triglycerides, at home. There are two types of home testing: those where you collect the sample at home and then mail it away to a laboratory for testing and those where you conduct the test yourself at home . The American Heart Association hasnât taken a position on the use of home testing devices for measuring lipid levels.
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Why Monitor Your Cholesterol
When you have your cholesterol levels checked with your doctor and continue to monitor them with a home-test kit, you will know when you may need to take steps, such as exercise, dietary changes, and even medication, to control them. As we mentioned above, high cholesterol levels are not beneficial to your health and can lead to serious trouble, including atherosclerosis , stroke, angina, and heart attack.
What Affects The Test
Many conditions can affect cholesterol and triglyceride levels, including:
- Medicines, such as diuretics, corticosteroids, male sex hormones , tranquillizers, estrogen, birth control pills, antibiotics, and niacin .
- Physical stress, such as infection, heart attack, surgery.
- Other conditions, such as hypothyroidism, diabetes, or kidney or liver disease.
- Alcohol use disorder.
- Liver disease , malnutrition, or hyperthyroidism.
- Pregnancy. Values are the highest during the third trimester and usually return to the pre-pregnancy levels after delivery of the baby.
Your doctor will talk with you about any abnormal results that may be related to your other health problems.
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Why Should You Buy The Best Triglyceride Home Test Kit At Amazon
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Triglyceride Home Test Kit
Who Is At Risk Of High Cholesterol
If you fall under any of these risk factor categories, you may be at risk of having an abnormal cholesterol level:
- Having a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease
- Having diabetes, kidney disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, or underactive thyroid gland
The biomarkers of cholesterol include measured total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides.
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When To See A Doctor
At-home tests cannot provide the information needed to assess your cardiovascular risk or decide when treatment is needed.
And although at-home cholesterol tests may let you know that you may have high cholesterol levels, the FDA states that home-use tests are best interpreted when they are evaluated alongside your medical history, a physical exam, and other tests performed during a doctor visit.
The American Heart Association recommends that adults 20 years or older should have their cholesterol checked by their doctor every four to six years. Those with heart disease, diabetes, or a family history of high cholesterol should see their doctor more frequently.
Talk with your doctor so that they can help assess your risk and advise you on how frequently you need to see them for testing.
Who Should Not Take The Cholesterol Test
The test is not or only partially suitable for certain groups of people:
People with infectious diseases, like hepatitis and HIV, may not use the Cholesterol Test.
People with haemophilia should not take the test.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women should only take the Cholesterol Test under medical supervision. The given reference ranges and recommendations do not apply to people in this group consult your medical professional for advice concerning your test results.
The Cholesterol Test is not intended for children under 18 years of age.
The test is not intended for diagnosing illnesses or disease. For example, if you suffer from depression or are in physical pain, consult a doctor.
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How Can I Control My Triglyceride Levels
Studies show that carbohydrates play an important role in controlling triglyceride level. Diets high in carbohydrates, especially sugar, can increase triglycerides.
Exercise can also lower triglycerides and increase HDL cholesterol. Even if you dont lose weight, exercise can help control your triglyceride level.
The Mayo Clinic recommends changes in lifestyle habits to help treat high triglyceride levels. The changes include:
- not eating sugary or refined foods
- choosing healthier fats, such as fats in plant-based foods or fish
- reducing your alcohol consumption
- getting enough exercise, which is at least 30 minutes at moderate intensity on most days of the week
Treatments that focus on the primary cause for high triglycerides, such as the following, should be strongly considered:
What Do The Results Mean
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.
Additional risk factors, such as smoking and being overweight, also play a role in a persons risk of cardiovascular disease.
The lists the following desired cholesterol levels:
| Total cholesterol |
Food and Drug Administration , home cholesterol tests have an accuracy level similar to doctors tests. But user error can affect the results.
It is essential for people to follow all manufacturers directions to get the most accurate results. The accuracy can also vary from brand to brand. 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.
People that have cholesterol levels outside the desired ranges should consider talking to their healthcare professional. Different cholesterol values determine what type of treatment plan is most appropriate.
A doctor can recommend lifestyle changes and medications to help manage and lower high cholesterol.
lifestyle changes for high cholesterol include:
- maintaining a moderate weight via a balanced diet and regular exercise
- avoiding tobacco products and smoking
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Type Of Cholesterol Measured
All at-home cholesterol test kits measure total cholesterol, and the more advanced options provide HDL and triglycerides readings as well. Only one of the FDA-approved cholesterol test kits also measures LDL. Pay close attention to what each test measures if youre in need of a more comprehensive analysis, and expect higher price tags on the tests that provide more measurements.
How Can I Check My Triglycerides At Home
How can I check my triglycerides at home? To use a cholesterol home test kit, you first prick your finger with the lancet. Next, you place the blood droplet on the test strip. The cholesterol home test strip has special chemicals that change colors after a few minutes. You then match the final color against a color guide thats included with the kit.
How long does it take to lower triglycerides? Across these studies, triglyceride levels decreased the most 6 months after starting a reduced calorie diet . A 2020 review compared low fat and low carb diets.
What happens when you have high triglycerides? Studies have consistently linked high triglycerides levels with heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke, especially in people with low levels of good HDL cholesterol and in those with type 2 diabetes.
How quickly do triglycerides change? Triglyceride Levels After Eating
For healthy people, triglyceride levels peak three to four hours after a meal and return to normal after six hours. But, for people with higher triglyceride levels , it may take 10 to 12 hours for their triglyceride levels to return to baseline.
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What Is Being Tested
Triglycerides are a form of fat and a major source of energy for the body. This test measures the amount of triglycerides in the blood.
Most triglycerides are found in fat tissue, but some triglycerides circulate in the blood to provide fuel for muscles to work. After a person eats, an increased level of triglycerides is found in the blood as the body converts the energy not needed right away into fat. Triglycerides move via the blood from the gut to adipose tissue for storage. In between meals, triglycerides are released from fat tissue to be used as an energy source for the body. Most triglycerides are carried in the blood by lipoproteins called very low-density lipoproteins .
High levels of triglycerides in the blood are associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease , although the reason for this is not well understood. Certain factors can contribute to high triglyceride levels and to risk of CVD, including lack of exercise, being overweight, smoking cigarettes, consuming excess alcohol, and having medical conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease.
Automatic Blood Pressure Monitors
Powered by batteries, automatic blood pressure monitors have a cuff that is attached to your wrist or upper arm. An electronic monitor inflates and deflates the cuff, making this kind of device far easier to use than the manual ones. The monitor then displays your blood pressure. These blood pressure monitors generally cost between $40 and $100. Although they’re easier to use, they’re also sensitive and the readings can be influenced by your body position. Health professionals generally recommend having these devices adjusted at least once a year to make sure they’re still accurate.
Despite the problems with both kinds of blood pressure monitors, many doctors encourage their patients to use them, so that they can be aware of dangerous spikes in their blood pressure and take a more active role in their home care. But if you do decide to monitor your own blood pressure, remember:
- To avoid fraud, buy monitors only from reputable pharmacies or medical supply stores and be sure they are FDA approved.
- Follow the manufacturer’s directions to make sure you’re getting the most accurate readings.
Show Sources
SOURCES: Roger Blumenthal, director, Ciccarone Preventive CardiologyCenter, Johns Hopkins University. Amit Khera, MD, assistant professor ofmedicine, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical School. American Academy ofFamily Physicians web site: “Blood PressureMonitoring at Home.” FDA web site: “Home Diagnostic Tests: The Ultimate HouseCall?”
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Are They Better Than Lab Tests
At-home cholesterol tests¹ are typically not better than lab tests. Some of the more expensive ones are similar to the ones your doctor may use, but they should only be used as a guideline. Many brands of at-home cholesterol tests will discuss their tests being better.
Without expert guidance on how to properly do one of these tests, the results can sometimes be skewed. One issue with at-home tests is overloading the test with too much blood, which can throw off results.
When using these tests, it is important to remember they are a guide. They are not as complex as tests you may get in a lab, which can give you a larger picture of your cardiovascular health.
How Do Home Test Kits Work
Home cholesterol test kits measure the total fat levels in your blood.
Depending on the type of test you have chosen, they can either measure total cholesterol levels in the blood or separate the measurement and measure low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides, the bad parts of cholesterol, separate from high-density lipoproteins, the heart-protecting, good cholesterol.
Once you are 20 years old, your cholesterol levels must be tested every four to six years to ensure it remains within a healthy range.
When using cholesterol tests, you will be required to prick your finger with a lancet, put a drop of blood on a piece of paper with chemicals, and then wait for the results.
Some tests will let you know your cholesterol level based on the color the paper turns, and others will show you your results on a small screen. These are typically more expensive but are more accurate than the color-changing kits.
If you are using a home sample test, you will collect the amount of blood required by the test and send it to a laboratory for analysis, which can typically be done through the mail.
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Cholesterol And Lipid Tests
A cholesterol test looks at the various levels of cholesterol and other fats in the blood.
Lipids and cholesterol are fat-like substances in the body. If you have high levels of these fats, you are more at risk of a heart attack or stroke.
The test is one way of seeing if you are at risk and how you should be treated.
Everlywell Cholesterol And Lipids Test Kit
This sample collection kit comes with everything you need to collect samples to send away to be measured for total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides. The kit includes what you need to ship it as well. When youve sent it away, the results should be sent to you within the week and uploaded directly to an app, so you can view them from your phone.
Board-certified physicians review all results to ensure they are as accurate as possible. It is also great if you are on a budget, as it retails for approximately $49.
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How Can You Tell If Your Cholesterol Is High Without A Test
High cholesterol does not cause any symptoms. The only way a person can find out if they have high cholesterol is through a test.
However, risk factors include having overweight, not exercising regularly, eating fatty foods, and drinking and smoking. High cholesterol may also have a genetic component and run in families.
Best For Lower Budgets: Everlywell Cholesterol & Lipids Test
Everlywell offers a finger prick sample collection that measures:
- total cholesterol levels
After purchasing the home kit, a person can register it on the Everlywell website. There, they need to include their orders identification number. Then, once they collect their sample, they can send it to one of the Everlywell testing facilities.
The company claims that it works with laboratories with CLIA certification.
People should receive their results through the Everlywell online platform. They may also receive tips and additional resources to help them understand their results.
Price: A test kit costs $49.
A person may wish to consider the advantages and disadvantages of this test.
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Is There Anything Else I Need To Know About Triglyceride Tests
Certain commonly used medicines can increase blood triglyceride levels, so ask your provider if any medicines you take could affect your test results.
Certain medical conditions can also increase blood triglycerides, including:
If one of these conditions could be increasing your triglycerides, it’s important to treat the condition to help lower your blood triglycerides and your risk of heart disease and stroke.
What Is A Home Cholesterol Test
A home cholesterol test is a DIY medical screening that claims to be as accurate as traditional lab screenings. It measures your cholesterol levels and compares them to the accepted range. The process of determining your total cholesterol level includes testing various biomarkers which together help determine if you are at a higher risk of contracting heart disease, stroke or other severe conditions that are associated with abnormal cholesterol levels.
A complete cholesterol test is known as a lipid panel or lipid profile. With a complete test, you will be able to measure the amount of good and bad cholesterol in your blood and also know your triglycerides level, a type of fat, in your blood.
If any of your numbers are outside the healthy range, you are considered to have high cholesterol.
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