In theory, home health tests should save us time and cut down on doctor’s bills – but can they be trusted?
FOR THOSE who are concerned about a particular aspect of their health but are not keen to get tested in the doctor’s surgery – or are unwilling to spend €55 or more to do so – deciphering a condition from the comfort of home has never been more popular.
While many seek to self-diagnose by hitting the internet and googling their problem, an increasingly popular alternative is to purchase a do-it- yourself test that you can use at home.
From confirming a pregnancy and monitoring cholesterol levels to determining the likelihood of developing prostate cancer, a wide range of DIY health tests are now available, all promising to save the time, effort and cash that a visit to your GP requires.
However, taking the apparently easy way out can have consequences for your health, and not all home tests are an appropriate method of diagnosing a condition, despite what the manufacturers might say. So where can you save money and what tests should you avoid?
CHOLESTEROL
DIY testEasytouch Repeat Use Cholesterol Monitor
Availableinhealth.ie
Price€59.99
Bombarded as we are with ads for dietary products that promise to reduce cholesterol, most people are aware that, once they reach a certain age, their total levels should not exceed 5.0 mmol/L.
One way of checking this is by using a cholesterol monitor at home, which will give you an indication of whether or not the total cholesterol in your blood exceeds this. However, even if you get a reading of less than 5.0 mmol/L, you should be aware, before you dig into your fry, that these tests can be “too simplistic” .
According to Kerry GP Dr Eamonn Shanahan, many cholesterol tests tend to look at total levels only, and thus can be misleading.
“You need to look at how much good and bad cholesterol a person has,” he says, citing the example of a 52-year-old man, a smoker with a father who died of a heart attack at the age of 55.
An at-home test might indicate that he has a total cholesterol of 4.2 mmol/L, leading him to think he doesn’t have a problem. However, further probing of the results might show that he only has “good” cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein of 0.7, indicating that his proportion of “bad”, low-density lipoprotein is in fact too high.
COELIAC DISEASE
DIY testBiotech Biocard Celiac Test
Availableboots.com
Price£20.42 (€23.56)
Home coeliac tests aim to detect the disease, which is an intolerance to gluten, based on a finger-prick blood test.
However, while those interested in learning whether or not they have such an intolerance might be able to competently carry out the relatively straightforward test at home, they may not be able to interpret the results accurately.
“It is essential that the result is interpreted correctly, with the subject’s circumstances being properly taken into account . This is best done with the help of a medical doctor, or a trained practice nurse,” says Dr Nicholas Kennedy, president of the Coeliac Society of Ireland.
“A strongly positive test is highly suggestive of active coeliac disease, but this should be confirmed by other tests. A weakly positive test may not be due to coeliac disease. A negative test does not exclude the possibility of coeliac disease.”
He urges all people who think they have coeliac disease to seek informed, professional medical advice.
PREGNANCY
DIY test First Response Pregnancy Test
Available Pregnancy-tests.ie
Price €9.99
These days most doctors rely on home kits to confirm a pregnancy. According to Dr Shanahan, the technology involved in both the DIY product and the doctor’s surgery test is the same.
Newer versions on the market even go one step further, by promising to predict the gestational age of the foetus.
However, Dr Shanahan suggests that such a prediction is a guide rather than an exact science.
“The only accurate way to predict is if a woman has a very regular cycle or by an ultrasound,” he says.
BLOOD PRESSURE
DIY testBlood pressure monitor and personal weight scales
Availableirishtimes.com/shop/
Price€59.90
Do-it-yourself blood pressure monitoring kits can be a vital tool for those looking to control their condition.
“Home blood-pressure monitoring is the most effective way of determining blood pressure,” says Dr Shanahan, and he encourages all his patients with such concerns to buy a device. Such products can give a more accurate reading, as they avoid the “white coat” effect, which sees some patients record higher blood pressure levels than normal when getting tests done in a doctor’s surgery.
Moreover, such kits can help pin-point which activities or situations pushes up a patient’s blood pressure.
However, it is important to get the right product. “I’m somewhat suspicious of ones that wrap around the wrist – you would want one that goes on the upper arm,” says Dr Shanahan.
“You need to make sure it is certified by the licensing authorities,” he adds, giving the example of the British Standards Institute Kite Mark, and adding that those in search of such a product would be “better talking to a pharmacist rather than a supermarket about getting one, unless can say the monitors have been certified”.
PROSTATE CANCER
DIY testProstate Health Test
Availableu-check.co.uk
Price£14.99 (€16.93)
At-home prostate cancer tests measure the level of PSA in the blood – an indicator of problems with the prostate. However, such tests are not recommended by the Irish Cancer Society.
“We have no way of knowing how the results of the test kit compare with our hospital lab results. They may lead to false negatives or false positives, causing either anxiety or false reassurance,” says Karen Flynn, a specialist prostate-cancer nurse with the society, adding that PSA levels should be looked at in conjunction with other factors, such as an examination of the prostate, symptoms, and size of the prostate.
Moreover, she points out that some prostate medications reduce PSA artificially, and this needs to be taken into account, along with age-related cut-off points for referral.
OVULATION
DIY testClearblue Fertility Monitor
Availablepregnancy-tests.ie
Price€109.99
Ovulation tests are used to maximise the chances of becoming pregnant. The tests can help couples work out the optimal times for having intercourse in order to increase the chances of conception.
However, while such tests can help, particularly for women with irregular menstrual cycles, they “can’t switch fertility on”, says Dr Shanahan. “There’s lots more we don’t know about fertility than we do.”
Moreover, such tests are expensive, and Dr Shanahan says a good alternative is a “cheap and accurate thermometer”.
“A strongly positive test is highly suggestive of active coeliac disease, but this should be confirmed by other tests. A weakly positive test may not be due to coeliac disease. A negative test does not exclude the possibility of coeliac disease
