Home Access Health Corp. encourages cholesterol testing during American Heart Month, beyond

WEST CHICAGO, Ill., Jan. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and can strike individuals who appear to be healthy. February is American Heart Month, and Home Access Health Corporation says that the first step to being heart healthy is knowing your cholesterol levels.

Home Access and the American Diabetes Association have teamed up to offer a complete cholesterol panel that can be used from home:  it's simple, easy, meets the accuracy standards established by the National Cholesterol Education Program, and is the only FDA-cleared cholesterol panel, available directly to consumers, that uses self-collected finger stick blood combined with testing through a professional clinical laboratory. The test, called the CheckUp America^(SM)  Cholesterol Panel, is designed to be used in the privacy and comfort of home, and provides all four cholesterol-related measurements:  total cholesterol, HDL (good cholesterol), LDL (bad cholesterol and the main cause of artery-clogging plaque) and triglycerides (fat in the bloodstream).  The test is available online at www.HomeAccess.com.

"We all know people who have suffered a heart attack or stroke unexpectedly; that's why it's important for people to manage their cholesterol levels as part of an overall approach to good health," said Mary Vogt, president of Home Access Health Corporation, the U.S. leader in at-home laboratory testing services.

"Cholesterol screening is one of the most important steps Americans can take to understand their personal risk of heart disease, and American Heart Month presents an important reminder to get a complete cholesterol test," said Vogt.  "More than one million Americans will have heart attacks this year and about half that number will die. Knowledge and understanding of your personal cholesterol levels is key to managing a healthy heart."

The higher your cholesterol, especially LDL-cholesterol, the greater the risk of suffering a heart attack. A major contributor to heart disease is the buildup of cholesterol in the bloodstream, narrowing arteries and restricting blood flowing to the heart.  Other factors include age, family history, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.

If you know your cholesterol level, you can take specific actions to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke, Vogt said.  If tests results indicate a high level of cholesterol, Home Access encourages you to consult your doctor. 

The CheckUp America^(SM) Cholesterol Panel uses a few drops of self-collected fingerstick blood mailed to the certified testing laboratory. A comprehensive lab report is mailed back to the home, and is also available online or by phone through the Home Access counseling center.  Results are available within three days of samples delivery to the lab. The CheckUp America^(SM) Cholesterol Panel is a complete test system, and includes the necessary components for the collection, packaging and mailing of a fingerstick blood sample to the clinical testing laboratory, laboratory resulting and reporting.

About Home Access Health Corporation
Home Access Health Corporation (HAHC) was founded in 1993 to provide anonymous, direct-to-consumer laboratory test services using self-collected fingerstick blood.  Individuals collect, package and send a small fingerstick blood specimen to the Company's CAP-accredited laboratory, using components provided in the Home Access test kits.  In 2007, the Company received FDA clearance for its complete Cholesterol Panel, a comprehensive laboratory test system that uses self-collected fingerstick blood to measure total Cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, Triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol.  The accuracy levels of the Cholesterol Panel achieve the standards established by the National Cholesterol Education Program and the test method has been certified by the CDC-sponsored National Cholesterol Reference Method Laboratory Network.

SOURCE Home Access Health Corporation