Proper Cholesterol Test Preparation Ensures Accurate Test Results

Cholesterol blood tests are used to determine the quantity of cholesterol and triglycerides present in the blood of the individual being tested. There are basically two methods to perform a cholesterol blood test. You can get a clinical blood test that is performed by your health care provider or at the hospital. Or you can use a home testing device that can give you a good measure of your cholesterol level. A home test is a good indication of your cholesterol levels but is not considered as accurate as a clinical test. Cholesterol test preparation is a routine part of preventive health care  that aims to prevent diseases and ailments occurring. Preventing a disease is obviously beneficial to the individual but also saves resources, including trained staff and money, to deal with other medical problems, thus benefiting the wider society too. In terms of preventing cholesterol build up in a person, problems like hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and many other cardiovascular diseases including heart disease can be reduced.

Test For Cholesterol Once In Five Years

Before discussing cholesterol test preparation, it is important to understand when cholesterol screening testing is recommended. Many people start to think about cholesterol screening in middle age or over 40 however recent advice suggests that people 20 and over should also think about getting some form of screening done. This could be a consequence of the obesity problems that face many developed and developing countries or even the increased stress that a fast paced, modern lifestyle may bring. Whatever the reasons, guidelines suggest people of this age should get their cholesterol reading done once every 5 years. This shouldn't be a problem and, indeed  a cholesterol test is a usually painless as it involves a prick of the finger to obtain a drop or two of blood.

Cholesterol test preparation may involve, in the case of adults aged over twenty, needing to fast for at least nine to twelve hours prior to having the test done. In addition, the doctor or health care provider may also recommend that you stop using any drugs that they feel may adversely affect the accuracy of the test being performed.

However, there is nothing in cholesterol test preparation that prevents a patient from drinking water while they are fasting. Nevertheless, drinking tea, coffee as well as soda or other beverages may have an adverse impact on the accuracy of the cholesterol test and so, as far as is possible, should be avoided.

Although rare, cholesterol test preparation for children and infants that require a test, depends on the age of the child or infant. Among the different children and infant’s cholesterol test preparation you can include an infant test that is used on infants who are not older than one year; toddler test for those children aged one to three years; preschool test for children aged between three and six years; school age test for children aged between six and twelve years; and, adolescent test for children aged between twelve and eighteen years.

Cholesterol test preparation ensures that you get accurate results which are essential, especially in the case of a first test or a clinical test that needs to be accurate. Using a home test kit is often done before breakfast so that no food has been consumed during the night. An accurate reading can help your doctor set up a plan to reduce your cholesterol level if needed.