Home Test Kits

You can do some types of tests at home, such as testing for blood sugar, pregnancy, urinary tract infections, and HIV infection. Some home tests give you results right away, such as a pregnancy test. Others, such as HIV test kits, provide a way for you to send a sample to a lab for testing. The lab then reports results back to you.

The quality and reliability of home tests varies greatly. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to recommend a reliable brand. Follow the instructions, and check with your doctor if you are concerned about the results. Your doctor will usually do further testing to confirm your results.

What Affects the Test

Things that may interfere with the accuracy of a lab test include:

• Not following the instructions for how to prepare for the test. Some tests, such as a cholesterol and triglycerides analysis, require you to stop eating for at least 12 hours before the test. Other tests, such as a 2-hour postprandial blood sugar, require that you eat exactly 2 hours before the test.
• Some medicines or herbal treatments. For example, many medicines raise or lower blood sugar levels and could interfere with blood sugar tests. Birth control pills and some steroids can raise blood sugar, while some medicines to treat high blood pressure and depression can lower it.
• Drinking caffeinated beverages or alcohol.
• Eating meat, especially beef.
• Taking vitamins, especially vitamin C.
• Stress.
• Strenuous exercise.
• Your occupation.
• Your distance from sea level.
• Pregnancy.

Follow your doctor's instructions to make sure that your test results are as accurate as possible.