What should you know about a cholesterol test meter?

A meter uses a small blood sample, often from a fingertip, and displays one or more lipid values depending on the device. Readings can be affected by hand cleanliness, an insufficient sample, expired strips, storage conditions and using a device incorrectly. A home number is useful for monitoring but is not automatically equivalent to a laboratory report.

Look at patterns rather than reacting to one reading. Compare results only when the same device and a consistent method are used, and keep the date and circumstances. The reference information supplied with the device does not replace an individual treatment target from your clinician.

Read the instructions, wash and dry your hands, check strip expiry and store supplies as directed. Do not share lancets or testing equipment. Record the value and any relevant details, such as fasting or recent illness. Bring repeated or surprising readings to an appointment. A laboratory [Cholesterol Test](/treatments/diagnostics-and-screening/cholesterol-test/) can provide a fuller assessment, and prescribed [Statin Therapy](/treatments/medical-management/statin-therapy/) should not be started, stopped or adjusted from a meter reading alone.

Contact a clinician if readings remain unexpected, the meter repeatedly gives an error, or you are unsure whether the technique is correct. Seek urgent help for chest pressure, severe breathlessness, collapse, or sudden weakness or difficulty speaking. A meter is not designed to assess these emergencies.

Is this meter suitable for monitoring me? Which values should I record? How often should I compare it with a laboratory test? What reading should prompt a call? Should I fast for my clinic test?