Diabetes GLUCOSE 

Does this test have other names?

Blood sugar, Fasting blood glucose (FBG), self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), glucose challenge test, random blood sugar, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), fasting plasma glucose (FPG)

What is a blood glucose test?

This test determines the level of glucose in your body. This test screens and diagnoses carbohydrate metabolic disorders like hyperglycemia, diabetes mellitus, hypoglycemia, etc. Glucose is a type of sugar that provides energy to the body, which moves from your bloodstream to cells by insulin, a hormone. A very high or low level of glucose may show severe medical conditions.  

High glucose levels, also known as hyperglycemia, can indicate a sign of diabetes and lead to serious health problems. High blood sugar levels occur in many other conditions, including problems with your adrenal glands or pancreas, and affect glucose levels or insulin in your blood. 

People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and those who take specific diabetes medicines have a common disease of low glucose levels (hypoglycemia). Some conditions like liver disease may also lead to low glucose levels in people having no diabetes, which is not common in people. If you don’t take treatment, very low blood sugar can cause severe health problems, such as seizures and brain damage. 

What is the use of this test?

Your doctor recommends this test to analyze and monitor the diabetes of a person. A blood glucose test indicates the sugar levels in your blood.

When do I need the blood sugar test?
If you experience symptoms of a high or a low level of glucose, you may need to order this test.

Some symptoms of low levels of glucose, such as
 

• Fatigue
• Difficulty in speaking or seeing
• Headache
• Hunger
• Shaky feeling
• Headache
• A feeling of confusion or irritation
• Disturbance in the flow of the heartbeat or arrhythmia (problem with the rhythm of your heartbeat)
• Seizures or fainting

A few symptoms of a high level of glucose include
 

• Frequent urination 
• Feeling thirsty
• Weight loss when people are not trying any effort to lose weight
• Vision blurriness
• Healing of sores takes a long time
• Tingling or numbness in your feet or hands

What are the other causes that develop diabetes?

Your doctor may recommend the blood sugar test if you are at a high risk of type 2 diabetes. 

Some of the reasons that lead to diabetes:

• Having a high blood pressure
• Having a history of heart disease or stroke
• Lack of exercise
• Overweight 
• Having a family history of diabetes
• Older people of age 45 or more
• Gestational diabetes (diabetes that occurs in pregnancy only)

In pregnant women, your provider recommends a diabetes glucose test between the 24th and 28th week of your pregnancy to observe diabetes disease. 

What happens during the test?

Your healthcare provider collects your blood sample for the test. A small needle injects into a vein of your arm. Small quantity of blood collects in the test tube. A healthcare provider applies a bandage to your vein. You can return to your home for daily activities. The blood sugar test usually takes at least 5 minutes.

You may need to drink a sugary liquid for some types of glucose blood tests, such as a glucose challenge test and an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). You also need to wait for an hour before the blood test. 

How do I need to prepare for the test?

You will keep fast for at least 7-8 hours if your healthcare provider recommends a fasting blood glucose test. For other glucose tests, you don’t need special preparation. You can ask your provider when you need to keep fast for your glucose test. 

When should I get the results of a blood sugar test?

You will get the report of your blood glucose test in between 1 to 2 days. The glucometer indicates the test results on the spot for a capillary glucose test.  

What are the risks involved in the test?

A blood test does not have a high risk. You may experience a little pain when the needle injects into your vein. Generally, symptoms do not stay for a long time. You can feel faint after an oral glucose tolerance test. 

What do the test results mean?

You may be at risk for developing diabetes if your test results indicate higher than normal glucose levels. High glucose levels can also result due to
 

• Pancreas disorders
• Trauma, stress from surgery, and a specific illness
• Hyperthyroidism 

Low blood sugar levels may occur due to 
 

• Intake of specific diabetes medicines
• Avoiding intake of enough food, specifically after the use of diabetes medicines
• Increase in physical activity than normal

 
When you don’t experience diabetes, signs of low blood glucose levels occur due to
 

• Kidney disease
• Inactive pituitary, adrenal, or thyroid gland
• Alcohol use disorder  

What are the recommended values of glucose in a blood test?

The normal values for fasting blood glucose range from 70 to 99 mg/dL (3.9 to 5.5 mmol/L. Values between 50 to 70 mg/dL can be usual for those who do not have diabetes. 

What are the high or low values of a blood glucose level?

If the value of blood sugar is between 100 to 125 mg/dL, then it leads to prediabetes. While higher than 126 mg/dL shows that you already experience diabetes. A value of less than 70 mg/dL of blood sugar is low. It will result in type 1 and type 2 diabetes in people. 

Your doctor will always depend on one or more tests to observe diabetes. The blood glucose test does not always show the medical disease. The test values may effect due to the use of certain medications or avoiding fasting. 

You can place the order for the test by visiting UmbrellaMD. You can book the lab test and discuss your test results with the doctor from an online appointment. Umbrella Health Care Systems reduces the distance between you and a doctor. We are providing valuable and efficient services for you. Learn more from our website and register here.