Thursday, 1 January 2015

Urinalysis Reagent Test Strips Provide Medical Information Quickly And Accurately

By Stacey Burt


Although they may seem like another technological wonder of the digital age, the small sticks or ribbons made of paper or plastic used to reveal abnormal changes in body chemistry originated over one hundred years ago. As early as the 1880s pharmacists and medical personnel began searching for new analytic methods superior to the cumbersome processes available at the time. The earliest types of urinalysis reagent test strips appeared in 1883, and revolutionized testing and diagnostics.

A century of development and practical field use has made them integral in detecting abnormal kidney output. They are used to measure the progress and scope of diabetes mellitus, an epidemic today due to current dietary preferences and inactive lifestyles. Other liver and blood indicators of disease are commonly revealed using this process, and detecting urinary tract infections has become quick and simple.

They are manufactured without using test-altering glues to bind individual pads and layers together. They avoid results caused by heavy exercise, which can produce trace amounts of blood in the urine, or the presence of high levels of ascorbic acid, associated with Vitamin C. Special controls eliminate false readings, and additional non-reactive substances also keep information accurate.

Individual pads change color when specific chemical products are present. They not only detect blood, but can also determine pH levels. They display evidence of potential disease indicators such as glucose levels, nitrites, leukocytes, ketones, and others. Although these substances can be detected using more traditional methods, small strips provide obvious advantages to technicians, doctors, and patients.

Results are produced within sixty seconds. They are intentionally designed to be read upside-down, which prevents hand contact with body fluids, an advantage for lab workers. It is relatively simple to interpret the specific pigments produced in reaction to specific indicators, and to compare them to the standard tones printed on the packaging. The development of color is even and uniform.

Not only is this screening method simple, easy, and specific, but it is also comparatively inexpensive. The primary goal is not to actually name a specific ailment, but to detect the individual metabolic indicators common to many conditions. Urine tests must followed by specific examinations for fuller confirmation. In cases where personal individual monitoring is required, patients find them easy to use, and helpful in preventing emergencies.

With the guidance of a physician, many high-risk diabetic patients are able to accurately check personal levels of glucose and ketones, both of which are metabolic products indicating change. People suffering from hypertension with the possibility of kidney damage can easily check their own day-to-day function. Those experiencing repeated urinary tract infections find self-detection a good way to limit duration and speed recovery.

Although test kits are sold in most pharmacies, there is the potential danger that specific results can be misinterpreted by patients, causing some to assume they have a condition or diseases that is not actually present, and sometimes leading to unnecessary emotional stress. If a test produces questionable results, the next step is to see a physician who will be able to present a more complete diagnosis.




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