5 Common Tests for Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that imbalances your blood sugar levels. If left untreated and undiagnosed, it can end up in various health complications, which can be life-threatening. These complications include heart problems, kidney damage, nerve damage, eye damage, foot damage, skin conditions, hearing impairment, dementia, and even depression. 

Therefore you must get yourself diagnosed and treated for diabetes if you are experiencing the following signs or symptoms:

• extreme thirst
• fatigue
• increased appetite
• blurry vision
• frequent urination
• cuts or injuries that are taking time to heal

Here is the list of 5 commonly used diabetes tests if your symptoms are prominent

1. Haemoglobin A1C Test 

This test is also known as the glycated haemoglobin test. This test measures your average blood sugar for about the past three months, which is the lifespan of an RBC. A small amount of blood is drawn, usually by a finger prick or from your arm.

An A1C of less than 5.7% is normal, between 5.7 and 6.4% indicates prediabetes, and 6.5% or higher indicates diabetes.

2. Glucose Tolerance test

For this test, you must fast overnight and get your blood drawn to determine your fasting blood sugar level. Then you are given a glucose drink orally, and your blood sugar levels are monitored 1, 2, and 3 hours after the drink. After 2 hours, a blood sugar level of 140 mg/dL or lower means you don’t have diabetes. A blood glucose level of 140 to 199 mg/dL indicates prediabetes. A blood sugar level of over 200 mg/dL indicates diabetes.

3. Fasting blood sugar test

For this test, the blood sample is taken after overnight fasting. A fasting blood sugar of 99 mg/dL or lower is considered normal; 100 to 125 mg/dL indicates prediabetes. At the same time, a blood sugar level of 126 mg/dL or above means you have diabetes.

4. Random Blood Sugar Test

A random blood sugar test can be conducted any day, and you don’t need to fast for this test. A blood sugar level of higher than 200 mg/dL indicates you have diabetes.

5. Test for gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is temporary diabetes that occurs during pregnancy and usually goes away after pregnancy. The test for gestational diabetes is recommended between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. Here are the two commonly conducted tests for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes:

Glucose Screening Test

A 40 mg/dL or lower blood glucose level is considered normal. While a blood glucose level higher than 140 mg/dL means you must take a glucose tolerance test. In this test, the blood sample is drawn one hour after you consume the glucose drink.

Glucose Tolerance Test

The blood sample is drawn before and after consuming glucose drinks. You need to fast overnight and give a blood sample the following day to determine your fasting blood sugar level. Then you need to have the glucose drink and check your blood sugar level 1 hour, 2 hours, and 3 hours after the drink. The results can vary due to the drink’s size or the sampling duration. Your doctor will better guide you with the results.

Diabetes is a treatable health condition if diagnosed timely. Otherwise, it can lead to complications such as heart problems, kidney failure, nerve damage, blurred vision, hearing impairment, skin diseases, and even depression. The diagnosis methods for diabetes are effortless. So it is recommended to get the disease diagnosed as soon as you experience its symptoms.

Disclaimer: The information given in this article is accurate to our best knowledge. Still, we recommend you consult your healthcare professional before taking any blood glucose test mentioned in this article.