Diabetes Testing: Are You At Risk For Diabetes?

One of the inevitable results of diabetes is having to go through extensive testing. While diabetes testing can be a hassle, it can potentially save your life. If you believe you are at risk for diabetes, it is important that you familiarize yourself with the various tests available in order to help ensure your good health.

You may have heard of urine tests being used in order to detect diabetes. Such tests actually measure ketones, or the substances that increase in the urine when the blood glucose is quite high. While high glucose levels in urine may give physicians an indication that something is amiss, urine tests are not considered to be the best method for detecting diabetes.

To begin with, urine tests are not as conclusive as blood tests. Also, it is entirely possible that your glucose level is high, but it may not be detectable in your urine. A more reliable form of diabetes testing is the blood test. Essentially, there are two different kinds of blood tests—screening tests and diagnostic tests. The screening test is used for individuals who are showing no symptoms of diabetes, but may be at risk of experiencing the disease.

The advantages of the screening test are that it is simple, quick, and inexpensive. You can complete a screening test in only a minute. While screening tests are considered unnecessary for most people, they may be appropriate for those who have a number of risk factors for diabetes, based on age, family history, obesity, or ethnicity.

Pregnant women are routinely screened for gestational diabetes because of the incidence of diabetes onset during pregnancy.

Meanwhile, diagnostic tests are performed on those who already evidence some diabetic symptoms. Your physician will draw samples of your blood and send them to a laboratory to be analyzed. Don’t try to interpret your test results on your own. Have your doctor explain the results to you. That way, there will be no misunderstandings.

Actually, the preferred means of diabetes testing is the fasting plasma glucose exam. With this test, you must fast overnight in order to obtain an accurate reading. Your doctor will then take a sample of your blood and forward it to the lab to be studied.

According to researchers, fasting plasma glucose levels of more than 126 mg/dl on at least two tests taken on different days are evidence of diabetes. This type of diabetes testing is simple to perform and is not too taxing on the patient.

But there are other methods of diabetes testing as well. For instance, if an individual is showing signs of diabetes, he or she may undergo random blood samples after eating or drinking. If the blood glucose level is 200 mg/dl or higher, it may be a sign of diabetes. However, the random plasma glucose test must be followed by additional tests in order to confirm a diabetes diagnosis.

Yet another form of diabetes testing is the oral glucose tolerance test. This kind of test requires you to fast overnight. You must then have your fasting plasma glucose tested. After that, you’ll drink 75 grams of glucose. Blood samples are then taken in order to determine your blood glucose. In an individual with diabetes, glucose levels increase higher than normal and remain there for some time.

Your physician can determine the type of diabetes testing that is appropriate in your particular case. Effective testing can lead to early detection, which can lead to better diabetes management. Certainly, there is no harm in being tested for diabetes, particularly if you are considered to be at risk for the disease.