European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 25, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 the stars and stripes Friday april 25, 1986 consumer watch testing testing a health fad by Mary Neth consumer editor feeling wan listless worried about your blood pressure your vision your rumbling stomach you can be sure that there is a machine these Days that will let you Monitor your condition with a fast at Home medical checkup. According to the food and drug administration $348 million was spent in the United states in 1984 on Home medical testing devices. Sales of $734 million Are projected by 1989. This surge in do it yourself health checks reflects trends toward preventive Medicine both at Home and in Europe. Also people in the Western world Are living longer so the need to Monitor diabetes High blood pressure and other chronic health problems is increasing. In the United states too with medical costs three times what they were 10 years ago people Are looking for ways to save. To Consumers the surge in self reliant health care often Means lower medical costs a closer watch on chronic conditions and earlier detection of health problems. Doctors warn however that it can be dangerous to make medical decisions without professional medical advice. It is possible to misinterpret or Over rely on test results so that a single abnormal Reading May be taken As a sign of disease. A return to Normal readings May be mistakenly considered the sign of a  medically trained or not people Are testing their eyesight Stool urine and blood pressure in search of health clues related to vision problems gastrointestinal disease infection ovulation pregnancy diabetes hypertension and other conditions. In general there Are three categories of self testing products 1. Those that help diagnose a specific condition or disease in people with symptoms such As pregnancy test kits used after a missed period. 2. Screening tests that identify indications of disease in people without symptoms for example testing Stool for hidden blood. 3. Monitoring devices that provide ongoing checkups on an existing condition and Are used on the advice of a physician. Several main Home medical tests Are now offered for Sale in the United states. In Europe cafes offers three a blood pressure kit 105 Mars which Sells for $ 11.75 a blood pressure Monitor bp-1 which Sells for $29.95 and the answer pregnancy test kit for $5.10. Following Are some examples of self testing. Blood glucose monitoring for diabetics. The american diabetes association provides information about this self monitoring and users Are advised to see a doctor if the results seem questionable. Test results Are available in one to two minutes. Ovulation monitoring for women who wish to become pregnant. The test measures the amount of Lute ionizing hormone la in the urine. Called the la surge the sudden hormone increase which occurs in the Middle of the menstrual Cycle triggers ovulation or the release of an egg from the ovary. Test result time takes 20 minutes to an hour. A physician should be contacted if the la surge lasts More than four Days. This could indicate pregnancy ovarian failure Early menopause endometriosis or response to medication. Pregnancy testing works by detecting human Cho ionic Gonadotropin hug hormone in the urine. The hug hormone is produced by a developing Placenta. The test is far from 100 percent reliable. False results can occur if there is an infection an ovarian cyst excess urinary protein or certain medications. Placing the test on a vibrating surface such As a refrigerator or allowing it to incubate or reach its end Point in sunlight also can produce a false result. Testing for urinary tract infections is done by detecting nitrite the bacteria that causes most such infections in the urine. This test also can give misleading results because one in 10 infections May be caused by bacteria that won t react with the test s reagent. The Home administered test gives results in 30 to 40 seconds. The american cancer society feels the hidden focal blood test has such potential for detecting Early indications of col rectal cancer that it has been distributing free kits. The society says that since Early detection and prompt treatment could save the lives of three out of four patients with that Type of cancer people Over 50 should have their Stool tested every year. The Home tests do not replace a regular checkup by a physician. Test results Are available in 30 seconds to 16 minutes but there Are Many factors that can give wrong readings such As High intake of Vitamin c or laxatives with Mineral Oil Etc. Gonorrhoea testing for men takes several Days for the results. The test slide is put in a protective Case and mailed to a specified lab for analysis. The user May have the results mailed Back or get them Over the Telephone in the United states by calling a lab toll free. An assigned code number allows the caller to remain Anonymous. Blood pressure is most often measured by using a cuff that fits around the Arm a monitoring device and a listening device. The measurement consists of two numbers the first the higher number is the systolic blood pressure when the heart is in contraction. The second is the diastolic pressure when the heart is in relaxation. Results Are Given in from two to five minutes. In people 18 to 45, Normal blood pressure is generally expressed As 120 Over 80. In older people somewhat higher pressures Are Normal. A physician should be consulted promptly if readings Are higher than 140 Over 90. In the last few years there has been great improvement in the measuring devices. They have gone to digital machines that make measuring much simpler. They automatically pump up the cuff. The blood pressure then is expressed digitally and a Printer writes out the value plus the pulse beat and the Date and hour. Test results Are available in from two to five minutes. In testing several of the boso digital devices in Germany however it was found that the measurements from one to another varied slightly giving a less accurate Reading than the previous machines. Tests for male impotence measure the Force of erections during sleep. If the three strips break the cause of the impotence most Likely is psychological. If the strips Don t break the cause is probably physical. There Are treatments for both types of impotence. Visual tests supposedly measure acuity problems and test for Macular degeneration and glaucoma. For testing visual acuity and Macular degeneration a four line Eye Chart is read alternately with each Eye. If the user can read the 20/40 line corrective lenses or a prescription change May be All that is needed. If the user can t read it the user should Check with an ophthalmologist. The test for Macular degeneration uses an Amsler Grid. If squares around a Dot on the Grid Are distorted it May indicate Macular degeneration which destroys part of the Retina and an ophthalmologist should be seen right away. Even if All the tests Are passed Eye health is not guaranteed. The four tests take about two to three minutes to Complete. Again doctors warn that considering the results of one test to be a diagnosis is risky. The fact is a diagnosis by a physician involves an evaluation of the patient s medical history a physical examination most Likely other tests and sometimes consultation with other medical experts. Still Many health professionals believe properly administered self tests show great Promise for improving Public health provided they Are performed in conjunction with medical guidance