Diabetes tests used for diagnosisThere are four main types of diabetes tests. These tests include:urine test, random blood glucose test, fasting plasma glucose test and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). It is estimated that over 2 million people in the UK are diagnosed as having diabetes. It is assumed that about another half million or more are suspected as having diabetes but are not aware of it. With the prevalence of this silent assassin called diabetes it is important that you are tested. I know it have been repeated over and over but I will say it once more that prevention is the only cure and if caught early diabetes can be effectively treated. Your health professional will do a number of diabetes tests to be curtain of a diagnosis. The urine test: The first test s/he will perform is the urine test. This test is very simple and involves no pain whatsoever. Your health care professional will insert a dipstick into a sample of your urine. This will show the level of glucose present. The urine test is not very accurate therefore if the glucose level is high your doctor or health care team will suggest that you do another test (the random blood glucose test). Random blood glucose test The random blood glucose test can be done at any time. The doctor could do it there and then. With this test the blood glucose level is tested using a sample of blood. If the blood glucose level is above 200mg per decilitre (200mg/dl) diabetes is diagnosed. If not above the 200mg/dl but you are experiencing the symptoms of diabetes s/he may suggest that you take yet another test (the fasting plasma glucose test). Fasting plasma Glucose test This test is done after not eating anything (fasting) for at least eight hours. Therefore it is preferable to do this test in the morning after fasting overnight. Your health care professional will test the level of glucose a sample of your blood and if the blood glucose level is above 126mg/dl diabetes will be diagnosed. If the fasting plasma glucose test is not conclusive another test will be performed, the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) This test is also conducted after fasting for at least eight hours. Therefore it is also preferable to do this test in the morning after fasting overnight. After fasting overnight a sample of blood is taken and the blood glucose levels tested and noted. Then the health care professional will give you a sugary solution to drink. The test reveals how quickly glucose is metabolized from the bloodstream to the cells as an energy source. Your blood glucose level will be tested every hour for three hours. If your two hour blood glucose level is above 200mg/dl then you will be diagnosed with diabetes. If just below then you will have an impaired glucose tolerance and may suffer from prediabetes.
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