|
Many people first learn they
have Type 2 Diabetes quite by accident through blood tests
done for another condition or as part of a routine exam. But
in some cases, Type 2 Diabetes may not be detected before
damage to your eyes, kidneys or other organs has occurred.
That's why the American Diabetes Association recommends that
all adults have a fasting blood glucose test at age 45. If
the test results are normal, repeat the test every three
years. If your results are borderline, you should have a
fasting blood sugar test every year.
Tests that can detect diabetes include:
Random blood sugar test.
This test is part of routine blood work done during a
physical exam. Because you don't necessarily fast for this
test, your blood sugar may be high because you've just
eaten. Even so, it shouldn't be higher than 200 mg/dL. If it
is, you likely have diabetes.
Fasting blood glucose
test. In general, your blood sugar is highest right
after you eat and lowest after an overnight fast. That's why
the preferred way to test your blood sugar is after you've
fasted overnight or for at least eight hours. For this test,
blood is drawn from a vein in your arm and sent to a lab for
analysis. If your fasting blood sugar measures 126 mg/dL or
higher, your doctor may repeat the test. If the results of
the second test are the same, you likely have diabetes.
Glucose challenge test.
Often used to screen pregnant women for gestational
diabetes, a glucose challenge test requires that you drink 8
ounces of an extremely sweet liquid after fasting for six
hours. Your blood sugar is measured before you drink the
liquid, then every hour for a three-hour period. If your
blood sugar rises more than expected and doesn't return to
normal by the third hour, you likely have diabetes.
Glycated hemoglobin (A1C)
test. Some of the glucose in your bloodstream attaches
to hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells. This is
known as glycated hemoglobin or A1C. An A1C test provides an
indication of your average blood glucose level over the past
three months- ideally less than 7 percent.
After fasting all night, most
people have levels between 70 and 100 milligrams of glucose
per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). That's the equivalent of
about 1 teaspoon of sugar in a gallon of water. If you
consistently have fasting glucose levels above 126 mg/dL,
you likely have Type 2 Diabetes.
|
