How to Read a Home Cholesterol Test Reading

The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that adults more than 20 years old get their cholesterol measured every five years. The FDA has approved some home-use test kits to measure total cholesterol. And although the home kits do not measure the specific lipoproteins (HDL and LDL) that are important for determining your cholesterol health, the cholesterol number the home kits provide gives you an initial evaluation of your overall risk for heart disease.

Instructions

• 1

  Follow your home-use test kit instructions for puncturing your finger to obtain blood and applying it on the home-test device. To obtain an accurate result, it is very important to follow the manufacturer's guidelines about the amount of blood to use, the time frame and the order of steps carefully.

• 2

  Check the kit manual about reading your cholesterol result. Many different kits are available, and they display results differently. Some kits change color after applying blood, and you need to follow the provided color chart to translate your color into a cholesterol value. Other devices may display a number reading that you translate to cholesterol number chart. Some devices just display your cholesterol value directly. Whatever kit you use, make sure you follow the kit's instructions for reading the result.

• 3

  Consult your doctor if your kit shows your cholesterol is higher than 200 mg per dl. The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that you get a fasting lipoprotein profile done if you have a total cholesterol level greater than 200 mg per dl. The lipoprotein profile gives you a reading for your HDL(bad) cholesterol, LDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides, all important risk factors to determine your cholesterol health and setting a treatment plan if needed.