Diabetes Tests

Each year, more than 80,000 people are diagnosed with diabetes, a disorder in which the body doesn't produce enough insulin (the hormone needed to extract glucose, the body's main source of energy, from the blood) or is resistant to the action of insulin. According to the National Institutes of Health, diabetes is one of the most common and serious chronic diseases in this country. It can be diagnosed early on with a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test or an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The sooner you detect diabetes, the more quickly you can treat it and prevent serious complications such as heart attacks, strokes and kidney problems.

Who needs it The American Diabetes Association advises all adults to get tested every three years.

How it's done Your FPG reading is taken from a blood sample usually drawn in the morning, before you've eaten. If you are having an OGTT, show up with something to read, since the whole exam can take more than two hours. You'll be instructed to fast for eight hours (overnight) before the test and to avoid certain drugs, such as acetaminophen and oral contraceptives, which can affect the results. You'll be asked to drink several ounces of a glucose (sugar) solution, then blood and urine samples will be taken after one hour and again after two hours.

What the results mean The normal level of glucose in the blood ranges from about 70 to 110 milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dl). If your blood sugars measure higher than 140 mg/dl, you may have undiagnosed diabetes. If your blood sugar levels are lower than 70 mg/dl, you may have hypoglycemia, a condition that can produce sudden severe hunger, headaches, anxiety, sweating, and confusion.

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