Cholesterol Home Test

Cholesterol tests are suitable for:

• Anyone over the age of 18

The cholesterol home test is recommended you if:

• Are over 40 years of age
• Have risk factors for cardiovascular disease
  • Obesity
  • Smoking
  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Family history of heart disease or high cholesterol
• Have a cardiovascular disease and you want to monitor your cholesterol:
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Peripheral vascular disease

50% or more of all deaths in Ireland are caused by heart disease and stroke.

This test will determine how much of each type of lipid (cholesterol and triglycerides) are present and help to assess your risk associated of cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke). Taking action early can help ensure a healthier future.

This test measures four types of lipids (fats) in your blood:

1. Total cholesterol
2. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), also known as “good cholesterol”
3. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), also known as “bad cholesterol”
4. Triglycerides

Elevated levels of LDL are associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, while triglycerides are typically elevated in diabetic and obese individuals. Excessive alcohol and sugar intake can contribute to increased triglycerides and heart disease.

Cholesterol is just one (important) part of the bigger picture. Other risk factors include:

• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Being overweight or obese
• Unhealthy diet
• Being physically inactive or not getting enough exercise
• High blood pressure
• Family history of heart disease

Fortunately, elevated levels of these blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) can be lowered by lifestyle changes (diet and exercise). In some cases, these changes will not be enough, especially if there is a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol and medication may be necessary.

Your risk of getting these illnesses can be reduced by monitoring your levels and taking action to maintain healthy levels.

Here are some tips to help to reduce cholesterol levels:

Eat Healthier Foods

• Try to eat more monounsaturated fats
  • Monounsaturated fats (e.g., avocados, nuts) lower LDL (bad cholesterol) while raising HDL (good cholesterol)
• Try to include more polyunsaturated fats in your diet
  • All polyunsaturated fats are good for your heart health and may lower your risk of developing diabetes. Omega-3 is a type of polyunsaturated fat that has many added heart benefits
• Avoid trans fats
  • Foods using “partially hydrogenated” oil contain trans fats and are harmful, even if the label indicates the product contains “0 grams of trans fat per serving
• Increase soluble fibre in the diet
  • Soluble fibre can help to lower cholesterol absorption in the bloodstream. Oats, kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples, and pears all contain soluble fibre

Exercise & Maintain a Healthy Weight

• Increase exercise or physical activity
  • Any type of exercise may improve cholesterol levels and promote heart health. The longer and more intense the exercise, the greater the benefit
  • Regular exercise will help you to maintain a healthy weight. which in turn, will help to decrease LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (good cholesterol)

Reduce Alcohol Consumption

• Take alcohol in moderation
  • Excessive alcohol consumption raises the risk of heart disease and affects the liver

Avoid Smoking or Using Vapes

• Stop or reduce the usage of tobacco products
  • Smoking has been shown to raise LDL (bad cholesterol), lower HDL (good cholesterol), and impair the body’s ability to transport cholesterol back to the liver for storage or breakdown

In general, there are no symptoms of high cholesterol. Only a blood test can identify if your levels are high.

This will depend on your age and what your other risk factors are. The interpretation of results will vary depending on a person’s individual circumstances. We will send you a message with your result to give you some advice.

To protect your privacy, we will share your test results with you via your secure Webdoctor.ie Online Patient Portal. This is completely confidential and you can review your results at a time and place that suits you.

To view your results, simply log into your personal account using the “Login” button at the top of this page. Once you have entered your details, you will find your results and details of your previous treatments.

It takes An Post up to 3 business days to deliver your home test to our partner lab for analysis. Once the lab receives the sample, it can take up to 5 business days to process the results and send them back to our doctors for review. We usually send the results to your secure patient portal the same day we receive them.