Popular Rapid Test Kits

Patience may be a virtue but it's not always practical. There are often cases when a test result is needed sooner rather than later. For instance, diseases such as cancer, HIV and hepatitis are more effectively treated the sooner a diagnosis can be made. It's also imperative that infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, step, H. pylori, legionella and rotavirus are diagnosed as soon as possible. Infectious diseases also include STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) such as chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea, which should be diagnosed as quickly as possible. However, diseases aren't the only condition rapid tests can be useful in detecting. Cardiac conditions and reproductive issues such as fertility, ovulation and pregnancy are also often diagnosed with rapid test kits. Additionally, drug and alcohol tests are often used by law enforcement as well as medical professionals. Technological advances have made it possible to test for a wide variety of substances and conditions in a relatively short amount of time. This makes it possible for patients to get treatment in a timely and more effective manner. While the individual list of rapid tests available is quite long, the following is a sample of some of the most popular rapid test kits used today.* Allergy tests. This particular test looks for elevated levels of immunoglobulin E (total IgE) and is known as the IgE Rapid Serum Test. The test is a qualitative immunoassay and works in as little as five minutes. The test is helpful in the diagnosis of both IgE-mediated allergic and autoimmune disorders. The diagnostic test kits are reliable, inexpensive and easy to use.* Cancer tests. There are several different types of rapid cancer tests. One of the most common looks for Carcinoma Embryonic Antigen (CEA), which is used to diagnose breast, lung, colorectal and pancreatic cancers. Because prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, tests that detect the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) are used quite frequently. A third common rapid cancer test looks for Alpha Fetoprotein, which in addition to aiding in the diagnosis of testicular and liver cancers, also helps detect neural tube defects in unborn babies.* Cardiac tests. Time is a critical factor when it comes to diagnosing myocardial infarctions, otherwise known as heart attacks. The test looks for creatine kinase MB, an indication of heart attack, and is complete within 10 minutes. Another commonly used test looks for troponin as a cardiac marker instead of creatine kinase MB. The test is safe and the results are accurate, and can be obtained in about 15 minutes. * Drug tests. The list of substances drug tests can detect is extremely long. However, most drug tests look for illegal substances. Because many illegal drugs leave the system extremely quickly, testing for them in a timely manner is extremely important. Often a preliminary test is used to determine if a particular drug is present and then a more comprehensive, analytical test can be used to confirm.* Infectious disease tests. To reduce the spread of infectious disease, it's critical to test for and diagnose the disease as quickly as possible. Salmonella, mononucleosis and leishmania can be detected with a rapid test in addition to diseases such as HIV, STDs, malaria, dengue fever, strep and H. pylori.* Fertility, ovulation and pregnancy tests. Fertility tests are quick and easy, and look for FSH (human Follicular Stimulating Hormone). Ovulation tests look for FSH (human Follicular Stimulating Hormone) surges that indicate when ovulation will occur. Pregnancy tests look for hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin), which is present soon after conception.