Diabetes Type 2 Testing How To!
July 7th, 2010It is sad, there are still many that don’t even know that they have Type ii diabetes. It is quite simple to get further information. This is critical for your wellbeing. So if you think you may have diabetes, it is vital to do the right tests. Having ‘annual check-ups’ is a must, so speak with your doctor. Your doctor can easily order these tests for you. These tests will help determine the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood, so you can order an annual FBS (which stands for Fasting Blood Sugar), an OGTT (meaning Oral Glucose Tolerance Test) and a few other tests that will help you determine if you suffer (or about to suffer) from diabetes. Read on further and find out what these tests actually mean and what symptoms (of high blood sugar levels) a diabetes patient actually has.
The first test, the FBS or Fasting Blood Sugar test can determine exactly what its name suggests: the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood. If you return a value in the rage 72 - 99 mg/dl (or 4 – 5.5 mmol/l), being the level which is returned for those without Type two Diabetes. Normal blood sugar values are these numbers. However, you may get slightly higher values between 100 -126 mg/dl (5.6 - 7 mmol/l). This means that you will have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes. This means that you have sugar (glucose) in your blood above normal and if you leave this untreated, it can evolve into Type ii diabetes. A value of greater than 126 mg/dl (7 mmol/l) is seen in some individuals. In these instances a diagnosis of Type two Diabetes is highly likely, and seeking further help/guidance from health professionals is strongly advisable. To make sure a correct diagnosis is made, doctors advise taking the test twice, on two different occasions, to make sure that both tests give the same blood glucose values so a correct diagnosis of Diabetes 2can be made.
The second type of test we mentioned is the OGTT (Oral Glucose Tolerance Test). It is basically an oral glucose test in which you will be given a small amount of sugar (glucose) for you to drink. Following 2 hrs, an analysis of the blood sugar level is made after a sample of blood is taken painlessly from the person having the test. Values greater than 140 mg/dl (7.7 mmol/l) is not considered a normal value, meaning that you have an unhealthy glucose tolerance and this could be a clear sign of pre-diabetes. In some individuals, values are seen of greater than 200 mg/dl (11 mmol/l). In such instances, a diagnosis of Diabetes 2 is made.
Type two diabetes can be a very serious and dangerous disease, especially if you are already suffering from other chronic diseases. This is very serious and important in most cases, so it is vital to adopt positive alterations in habits, lifestyle, starting physical activity or starting a medications regime!