8Jan/11Off
I want to check my own blood pressure and cholesterol. Is there an at-home way to do this?
I take birth control and am in my 20s, which are both good reasons to have blood pressure and cholesterol checked. I don't want to spend a lot of money going to the doctor...would it be cheaper/more convenient to do this at home?
January 8th, 2011 - 14:56
There are blood pressure monitors at many pharmacies that you can use. Or, you can purchase an sutomated cuff – also at your pharmacy. Get the kind the goes over the upper arm. The wrist blood pressure monitors are very inaccurate.
We are close to getting a home diagnostic card that can measure total cholesterol. But it’s not commercially available at present. So you still have to go in and get a fasting blood sample to check your blood glucose and cholesterol. If you go in after a meal, your blood sugar and cholesterol will, of course, be elevated.
January 8th, 2011 - 14:56
well being on birth control and only 20 isn’t a reason but I know you can check your blood pressure at home but the device to do that is expensive. IDK about an at home cholesterol test thing.
January 8th, 2011 - 14:56
There are machines that you can buy from a drug store that checks your blood pressure. Not sure about the cholesterol
January 8th, 2011 - 14:56
You are better of going to see your physician. Yes there are at home machines which can effectively within a margin of error take your blood pressure and the can run about $20 but if you do not know how to properly take the reading this is ineffective. Also there are over the counter cholesterol screening but this does not give the proper break down of Lipid cholesterol which is the bad and high density (HDL) which is the good. This is important and until a OTC test is made which gives an accurate breakdown it is not worth it.
My advice is to go to your local fire station and get a manual blood pressure reading. All fire houses across the country provide this service, then I would contact my local hospital and find out which day of the month that they do there free community outreach screening and does it include cholesterol screening. You may want to also attend a local health fair which may offer this service.
However given your age and if you are of normal weight and do not have a racial/ethnic predisposition you should not worry about this unless you are taking the BC pills and are a smoker.
January 8th, 2011 - 14:56
Blood pressure monitor – about $50 at any pharmacy.
Mail-in cholesterol test – about $20 at any pharmacy.