What is the difference between a finger stick and a venipuncture?

A fingerstick screening takes only a few drops of blood from a fingertip, while the venipuncture method requires a vial (or two) from the arm.

Both provide accurate measurements of total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, and glucose. But the fingerstick method offers several advantages that make it our most popular screening option.

Many people find fingerstick screenings less invasive and painful. But the most important advantage is timing: fingerstick results are available immediately. We’re able to provide health education in the moment, when participants are most receptive.

It takes 5-7 days to obtain results from a venipuncture screening. However, this method does offer a larger panel of tests than fingerstick. If you’re set on testing thyroid levels and the like, venipuncture may be for you.

One consideration that does not need to be part of your decision-making is accuracy. The Cholestech LDX, our fingerstick testing equipment of choice, is used by doctors and hospitals across the country. Clinical tests have shown that fingerstick results are in close agreement with laboratory methods.