Effective Use Of Urinalysis Reagent Test Strips

By Essie Osborn


Strips containing chemical reagents that turn a specific color when immersed in urine are used for picking up first symptoms of health problems. They are used by most health care professionals. Urinalysis reagent test strips are now available from many different sources including from many online suppliers. These products provide a simple and economical means of screening and a prescription is not required for their use.

Apart from routine examinations, they can be used for monitoring treatment of chronic diseases. Patients with these diseases can test themselves at home and report to the healthcare professional if necessary. This can help to save costs. Individuals interested in preventative medicine also use these products to keep a check on their general health. Dieters also use them to check their ketone levels.

Routine urine testing can often pick up initial indicators of problems. This may be a simple infection or it may indicate the early symptoms of a disease or disorder. Diabetes Mellitus, liver diseases and disorders of the kidney and urinary tract may be indicated in results of urine tests. A diagnosis, however, is not made before other tests are performed.

The product is sold in vials and the number of strips in a vial vary. Products also test for different things. Some only indicate nitrites and leucocytes which show up when bacteria or pus is present due to infection. Some indicate only Ph level. There are many products that can test many levels such as those of proteins, ketones, glucose, haemoglobin, acetone, bilirubin and others at the same time.

These sticks provide an economical, effective means of detecting problems before they become serious. For example, two problems that develop during pregnancy are high blood pressure and high blood sugar. These can both be picked up in routine urine tests. Nutritional disorders can also be detected in urine by the presence of ketones.

A fresh, urine sample taken first thing in the morning is used. It is collected in a dry, clean container. When removing the cap from the vial, the cap should be replaced as quickly as possible to minimize light and air exposure. The strip is immersed in the sample. When it is removed, excess urine is removed by running the strip against the container rim to prevent results from being affected by reagents leaking into one another.

It does not take long before results are seen, sometimes only a minute or two. Other products may require up to 30 minutes. A color chart is included with the product and the results are measured by comparing those on the strip with those indicated on the chart. It shows which colors indicate normal and which deviate from the norm. A range of concentrations shows how much the color differs from the norm.

The results of such tests should only be considered as initial indicators of health problems. If you are doing the tests at home and the results are abnormal, you should always consult your doctor. Urine tests are not always reliable and the doctor may suggest having more detailed tests done at a laboratory.




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