Inaccurate cholesterol test results, what is the cause? & bull; hello healthy

If you have your own medical equipment at home, you may often perform simple tests to monitor the health of yourself and your family. One of them is a cholesterol test, a measurement that is quite often a worry because it is associated with risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

Sometimes, you may find that your cholesterol test results show "LO", "HI", or different from previous measurements. This may indicate that these measurements are inaccurate. So, what is the cause? Find out through the following reviews.

The cause of the cholesterol test results may not be accurate

Cholesterol tests are used to measure certain types of fat (lipids) in the bloodstream. In adults, normal total cholesterol levels are less than 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg / dL). A person is said to have high cholesterol when the level reaches 240 mg / dL or more.

According to the American Heart Association, high cholesterol is the leading cause of coronary heart disease, heart attacks and strokes. Well, this is the importance of regular cholesterol tests, in order to know the conditions and health risks that may occur.

Reporting from WebMD, home cholesterol test kits generally have an accuracy rate of around 95 percent or close to the results of laboratory measurements. However, there is still a 5 percent chance that the measurement results will be inaccurate.

Usually, this is due to temporary changes in your body because:

Have had heart disease recently, such as a heart attack or stroke. These events can temporarily lower lipid levels.
Have recently had surgery or have had certain infections. This can lower lipid levels which can affect the test results.
Take certain drugs, such as corticosteroids and estrogens, which can increase lipid levels.
Pregnancy can increase cholesterol levels. Therefore, a more accurate cholesterol test will appear after four months after delivery.
Eat certain foods. This is why it is recommended that you fast for 9 to 12 hours before the cholesterol test. However, if you haven't fasted beforehand, tell your doctor right away.
Drink alcohol. You must avoid alcoholic beverages for 24 hours prior to measuring.
Human error. It is possible for the test results to be inaccurate due to human error or laboratory error, although they are quite rare.

What to do if the cholesterol test results appear inaccurate?

Some people may not realize that the results of their cholesterol test are inaccurate and tend to just accept the results. However, if you suspect that the results are inaccurate, then don't hesitate to ask the medical team for another test.

If you want to do a cholesterol test in the hospital, make sure you tell the medical team about any health problems you are experiencing, your family history of heart disease, and any medications you are taking. This aims to prevent the possibility of inaccurate test results.

Meanwhile, if you do it yourself at home, make sure that you have avoided things that could affect the test results. Remember, the results of your cholesterol test are the key in determining the size of the risk of heart disease or stroke. Therefore, it is important that you have the most accurate test results.

If you are confused about doing a cholesterol check at home, it's better to first consult with the medical team about how to use this tool and what are the restrictions. That way, you can get a more accurate cholesterol level result.

In addition, don't just stick to one type of test. You also need to do other medical tests, such as checking blood sugar, uric acid, and other tests to confirm your health condition.