Diabetes testing is absolutely necessary for individuals above the age of 45 years.
In case one is overweight or obese, doing tests for diabetes is even more essential. The outcome of the diabetes diagnosis tests could be that the person either has normal blood sugar levels or has pre-diabetes condition (wherein the blood sugar levels are higher than normal but less than the diabetes range) or has diabetes itself. In case one is diagnosed for pre-diabetes, it is advisable to do the diabetes test every 1 or 2 years.
There are various types of diabetes diagnosis tests.
Fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) is one such diabetes test where you have to go atleast 8 hours without eating. It is conducted usually in the morning. The test is positive for diabetes if the sugar level is more than 126 mg/dL. It should be confirmed by doing the same test the next day.
If the blood sugar level ranges from 100 to 125 mg/dL then it is pre-diabetes and it is normal if the blood glucose level is below 99 mg/dL. Diabetes testing is also done through an Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). It detects diabetes or pre-diabetes condition. One has to go for this diabetes test alteast 8 hours without eating and again after two hours after consuming 75 grams of glucose drink. If the blood sugar level is above 200 mg/dL, this diabetic testing should be repeated the next day.
If still the glucose level is more than 200 mg/dL then diabetes is confirmed. If it is 140 to 199 mg/dL two hours after having the glucose drink, then it is impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). The person may develop type 2 diabetes. This test is also used for gestational diabetes wherein the blood glucose level is checked four times during this diabetes testing process.
If the sugar levels are above the normal range atleast twice during the test, then the test is gestational diabetes.
Random plasma glucose test is a diabetes test wherein the symptoms of diabetes are considered to diagnose the diabetes. The doctor checks the glucose level (if it is 200 mg/dL) without bothering when did you eat your previous meal. However, this test cannot be confirmed or considered final for detection of diabetes.
It is advised to go for a Fasting glucose plasma test or Oral glucose tolerance test to confirm the diabetes condition. Proper diagnosis is the first step to effective treatment in case of diabetes.
Glycated haemoglobin or HbA1c or A1C tests for diabetes shows the average blood sugar control for previous 2-3 months. The outcome of this test depicts the status of your diabetes control and treatment. The more the excess glucose in the blood, the more the amount of haemoglobin that gets glycated. Thus, the percentage of A1C is measured in the blood. However, this diabetes test cannot be replaced with the day to day monitoring of blood sugar levels.
