Bood sugar test

 Blood Sugar Test

                     A blood sugar test can be used to determine the amount of glucose in blood. It may be used to diagnose diabetes or to help those whith diabetes check their blood sugar and insulin levels.

What is a blood sugar test?

A blood sugar test is a procedure that measures the amount of sugar, or glucose, in your blood. A doctor may order this test to help diagnose diabetes. People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes also use this test to manage their condition.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the cells in the body responsible for producing insulin are destroyed.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body becomes resistant to insulin and no longer uses it effectively. Both types can result in high blood sugar if they’re not managed well.

Blood sugar tests provide instant results and let you know the following:

• If your blood sugar levels are high or low

• If your diet or exercise routine needs to change

• How your diabetes treatment is working

• If your overall treatment goals for diabetes are manageable.

*Type of blood sugar Test?

You can take a blood sugar test two ways.

People who are monitoring or managing their diabetes may use a glucometer for daily testing. This method involves pricking the skin (usually a finger) with a lancet to draw a blood sample, applying the blood on a test strip, and inserting it into the monitor.

The second method involves a healthcare professional drawing a blood sample and sending it to a lab to be evaluated.

Blood samples are generally used to screen for diabetes. A doctor will typically order a fasting blood sugar (FBS) test, which measures your blood sugar levels.

They may also order a glycosylated hemoglobin test called a hemoglobin A1C test. The test results reflect your blood sugar levels over the previous 90 daysTrusted Source. The results will show if you have prediabetes or diabetes. In people already diagnosed with diabetes, this test can monitor how well their diabetes is managed.

*What does blood sugar test do??

                A doctor may order a blood sugar test to see if you have diabetes or prediabetes. The test will measure the amount of glucose in your blood.

Your body takes carbohydrates found in foods like grains and fruits and converts them into glucose. Glucose, a sugar, is one of the body’s main sources of energy.

For people with diabetes, a home test helps monitor blood sugar levels. Taking a blood sugar test can help determine your blood sugar level to see if you need to adjust your diet, exercise, or diabetes medications.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can lead to seizures or a coma if left untreated.

High blood sugar (hyperglycaemia) can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a life threatening condition that’s often a concern for those with type 1 diabetes. Hyperglycemia over a long period can increase your risk of neuropathy (nerve damage), along with heart, kidney, and eye diseases.

*Risk factors for diabeties.

You may have more likely to get type 1 diabetes if you:

• Are a teenager or younger

• Have a family member with the condition

• Have certain genes that give you a genetic predisposition

Your risk for type 2 diabetes may increase if youTrusted Source:

• Are age 35 years or older

• Are overweight

• Are not physically active

• Have a family history of diabetes

• Have a history of insulin resistance or have prediabetes

• Have a history of gestational diabetes or gave birth to a baby who weighed over 9 pounds

• Have high blood pressure, high triglycerides, or high cholesterol

• Have a history of stroke or hypertension

Checking your blood sugar levels can be done at home or in a doctor’s office. Read on to learn more about blood sugar tests, who they are for, and what the results mean.

*What does the result of the blood suger test mean?

A doctor may order a blood sugar test to see if you have diabetes or prediabetes. The test will measure the amount of glucose in your blood.

Your body takes carbohydrates found in foods like grains and fruits and converts them into glucose. Glucose, a sugar, is one of the body’s main sources of energy.

For people with diabetes, a home test helps monitor blood sugar levels. Taking a blood sugar test can help determine your blood sugar level to see if you need to adjust your diet, exercise, or diabetes medications.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can lead to seizures or a coma if left untreated.

High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a life threatening condition that’s often a concern for those with type 1 diabetes. Hyperglycemia over a long period can increase your risk of neuropathy (nerve damage), along with heart, kidney, and eye diseases.

✓ Normal results:

The implications of your results will depend on the type of blood glucose test used and when you last ate.

Type of test Target blood glucose range for people without diabetes Target blood glucose range for people with diabetes

Fasting test less than 99 mg/dL between 80 and 130 mg/dL

2 hours after beginning a meal (postprandial plasma glucose) less than 140 mg/dL less than 180 mg/dL

Random test N/A

There are no random blood glucose targets, but a doctor will diagnose diabetes if a random test shows blood sugar levels are 200 mg/dL or higher.

✓ Abnormal results:

If you had a fasting blood glucose test and the results are above normal, it may indicate that you have either prediabetes or diabetes:

Fasting test Prediabetes Diabetes

Blood glucose range 100–125 mg/dL

                                126 mg/dL or above

If you had a random blood glucose test, a level of 200 mg/dL or higher often means you have diabetes. Your doctor will probably order a fasting blood glucose test to confirm the diagnosis or another test like an A1c or a glucose tolerance test.

If you had a post-prandial blood glucose test, a level above 180 mg/dL could mean that your diabetes isn’t well controlled, and your doctor may need to adjust your medications.

 Other conditions:

High blood glucose levels are a sign of diabetes. This could be type 1, type 2, or another type of diabetes called secondary diabetes, which stems from an underlying condition.

                              A doctor may carry out further investigations to find the reason for high blood glucose levels. This will enable them to provide suitable treatment.

Causes of secondary diabetes include:

• Hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid

• Pancreatitis, or inflammation of your pancreas

• Pancreatic cancer

• Prediabetes, which happens when you’re at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes

• Stress to the body from illness, trauma, or surgery

• Medications like steroids

• Cushing syndrome, in which the body produces too much cortisol

• Acromegaly, when there is too much growth hormone

High blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) can cause damage to your organs and nerves and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, even if you don’t have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

                      It’s also possible to have levels of blood glucose that are too low. But this isn’t as common. Low blood glucose levels, or hypoglycemia, may be caused by:

• Insulin overuse

• Starvation

• Hypothyroidism or underactive pituitary gland

• Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid

• Addison’s disease, which is characterized by low levels of cortisol

• Alcohol abuse

• Liver disease

• Insulinoma, which is a type of pancreatic tumor

• Kidney disease

Frequently asked questions:

A doctor may recommend another test or diagnose diabetes if the person’s fasting blood sugar is 126 mg/dLTrusted Source or higher, if non-fasting glucose is 200 mg/dL or higher, or if their A1C result is 6.5 percent or above.

A doctor may do a fasting blood glucose test, a random (non-fasting) blood test, an oral glucose tolerance test, or an A1C test.

The A1C shows glucose levels over time, while the others provide a snapshot of glucose levels. Post-prandial tests show how eating or drinking affects a person’s blood sugar levels and can be used to monitor diabetes and blood sugar management.

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