Cholesterol

Health takes up increasing amounts of our attention. Having high blood cholesterol increases your risk of cardiovascular disease. Almost a quarter of the Dutch population has a high cholesterol level. High cholesterol is not something you can feel, but it can have serious consequences for your health. 

That is why it is important to have your cholesterol checked regularly. With our Cholesterol self-test you can easily gain insight into your own cholesterol levels. 

Our Cholesterol self-test measures four values: 

  • Cholesterol (total) 
  • HDL-Cholesterol 
  • LDL-Cholesterol 
  • Triglycerides 
  • icon It is completely anonymous;
  • icon You can always come to us:
  • icon You do not have to go directly to a healthcare provider;
  • icon The test is as reliable as the one used in hospitals;
  • icon Our clinical chemist will assess your results and give you tailored advice;

Markers and consequences van cholesterol 

Cholesterol & Triglycerides

Cholesterol and triglycerides are fats that are used as building materials for cells and hormones in your body. They are produced by our own liver, but are also in our diet. On the one hand, we need them, but too high a concentration of these fats increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.  

LDL en HDL Cholesterol

Cholesterol and fatty acids are transported through the blood in lipoproteins - a kind of 'fat globule'. LDL and HDL are two types of fat globule that can transport cholesterol. LDL stands for low-density cholesterol and HDL for high-density cholesterol. An increased concentration of LDL cholesterol is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. An elevated HDL cholesterol level, on the other hand, is associated with a reduced risk. Total cholesterol can be calculated using LDL, HDL and triglycerides.

Consequences 

An elevated cholesterol level contributes to the development of arteriosclerosis, in which the arteries become increasingly narrow. Cholesterol particles and other fatty substances stick to damaged spots in the walls of arteries. A thickening develops, known as a plaque. 

Less blood can flow past a plaque. Organs (such as the heart or brain) receive less oxygen as a result. A plaque can also rupture, causing bleeding that can cause a blood clot to form. It can close off the blood vessel directly or be carried along with the blood stream. The blood clot can cause a blockage somewhere further along. This can then completely cut off the blood supply. The tissue behind it no longer receives any oxygen, and dies. 

Arteriosclerosis can lead to: 

  • Myocardial infarction or angina pectoris: with narrowing in the coronary arteries 
  • Cerebral infarction or TIAs (stroke): with narrowing of the cerebral vessels or carotid arteries 
  • Narrowing of the leg arteries 
  • Narrowing of a renal artery 

With a healthy lifestyle you can lower the cholesterol level in your blood. 

High cholesterol increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. But other factors also play a role, such as being overweight, high blood pressure and smoking. Below is a list of risk factors for high cholesterol.

  • Being overweight 
  • A high-fat diet (mainly animal fat) 
  • Genetic factors (such as high cholesterol in the family) 
  • Diabetes 
  • A slow-functioning thyroid 

Our Cholesterol test

Various tests can be performed to find out what your cholesterol levels are.  

The Cholesterol test that we offer at How Are You Diagnostics is the same laboratory test that is also performed by hospital laboratories. We distinguish ourselves by offering the majority of our tests via a self-test kit. This means that you can have our tests delivered to any postal address, after which you can take the sample for the chosen test yourself at any time. So you can take your sample at home, just like with a self-test/home test. 

You can also buy a self-test at the drugstore or pharmacy. For these, you put a drop of blood on a special strip and the result is displayed immediately. The self-test gives you an impression of the cholesterol level in the blood.  

Most self-tests on the market usually only measure the total cholesterol level. This doesn't tell you what your HDL and LDL cholesterol levels are. These tests are therefore not sufficient. In addition, it is much more reliable to have the test performed in a laboratory and have the result determined by a doctor (clinical chemist). Our self-sampling test gives you a complete picture. 

Taking a cholesterol test at your doctor or in the hospital is often twice as expensive. You also have to make an appointment and go to the appointment to do a blood test.

How does it work?

Wij hebben speciale thuis testen ontwikkeld zodat jij ze gemakkelijk thuis, op ieder gewenst moment, kunt uitvoeren. Het geeft snel zekerheid en helpt belangrijke vragen te beantwoorden.

Om de test uit te voeren maakt u gebruik van onze How Are You Diagnostics App. Deze App is te downloaden in de App Store en de Google Play Store. Hierin maakt u een persoonlijk account aan, koppelt u de test aan uw account en wordt u stap voor stap uitgelegd hoe u de test uitvoert. Verstuur de test en ontvang het resultaat in uw persoonlijke account van onze beveiligde App. Het is niet mogelijk om het testresultaat te ontvangen zonder het gebruik van de App.

Verstuur de test zo snel mogelijk na afname; dit kan gratis via een reguliere PostNL brievenbus.

Tijdens het gehele proces gaan we vertrouwelijk met uw gegevens om. Na ontvangst in het laboratorium ontvangt u binnen 5 werkdagen de resultaten in de App. U ontvangt een melding als het resultaat beschikbaar is.

Content and step-by-step plan 

Inhoud van de test:

  • informatiebrief;
  • vingerprikset (alcoholdoekje, vingerprikker, gaasje en een pleister);
  • afnamebuisje;
  • retouroplossing (RigidSafetyBag en een gefrankeerde retourenvelop).

De afname instructies zijn te vinden in de How Are You Diagnostics App.

 

Testen in vier stappen:

  1. Download de How Are You Diagnostics App
    Download onze App in de App Store (iOS) of Google Play Store (Android).
    Registreer een account of log in.
  2. Doe de test
    Scan de code van de buis/container of voer deze handmatig in.
    Start de afname.
  3. Verstuur de test
    Verstuur de test naar ons laboratorium.
  4. Ontvang het testresultaat
    Ontvang en bekijk het resultaat van de test in de App.

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