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Diabetes Testing Information

Diabetes is a condition characterized by high levels of glucose. The most common types of diabetes are Type I and Type II; gestational diabetes is another form of diabetes. There are three tests commonly used to test for diabetes.

  1. Risk Factors

    • Risk factors for diabetes include obesity, a family background of diabetes, high blood pressure, polycystic ovary syndrome, and a history of cardiovascular disease.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms of diabetes can include increased thirst, increased urination, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, increased hunger, and blurred vision.

    Fasting Plasma Glucose

    • Fasting plasma glucose tests (FPG) are the most convenient and inexpensive test. It measures blood glucose in a person who has fasted for eight hours.

    Oral Glucose Tolerance

    • Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) measure blood glucose after fasting for eight hours and then drinking a beverage containing glucose.

    Random Plasma Glucose

    • Random plasma glucose tests measure blood glucose without fasting beforehand.

    Process

    • If test results indicate that a person has diabetes, the test should be repeated on a different day in order to confirm the diagnosis.

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