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Welcome to the Diabetes Testing Center. Find the latest information about testing your blood sugar. There are so many new blood sugar machines on the market. There are new lancets to stick yourself with that are less painful. Please feel free to click on the links to our other websites and blog.
What tests are used to diagnose diabetes?
A diagnosis of diabetes can be confirmed by a series of tests that might include:
A blood test that measures the glucose in your blood. A blood glucose level of 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or greater, with symptoms, means that you have diabetes.
A blood test for glucose after you have fasted, called fasting plasma glucose (FPG) value. An FPG value of 126 mg/dL or greater means that you have diabetes.
A measurement of glucose in your blood through an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Although this test is no longer recommended because it is cumbersome, some health care providers may still use it. After fasting, you have to drink a glucose syrup and have a blood sample taken 2 hours later. An OGTT value of 200 mg/dL or greater means that you have diabetes.
People with test results between "normal" and "diabetes" levels have impaired glucose metabolism and are at risk for developing diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes.
Who should be tested for diabetes?
If you are 45 years old or older, you should be tested for diabetes. If your test result is normal, you should then be tested every three years. People under age 45 should be tested if they are at high risk for diabetes.
It is now recommended that pregnant women who are at low risk for gestational diabetes do not need to be tested. This low-risk group includes women who meet all of the following criteria: are younger than 25 years old, are at normal body weight, without a family history of diabetes, and not members of a high-risk ethnic group. Other women should be tested for diabetes during the 24th to 28th weeks of pregnancy. You will be asked to drink a glucose drink and have a blood test one hour later. If your blood glucose value is 140 mg/dL or greater, your health care provider will most likely want to do more tests before diagnosing you with diabetes.
How is diabetes treated?
Diabetes treatment is focused on keeping blood sugar in a normal range every day. A recent major study showed that keeping blood glucose levels as close to normal as safely possible reduces the risk of developing major complications of type 1 diabetes.
If you have diabetes, a good blood sugar range is from about 70 to 150 (before a meal) and less than 200 about two hours after your last meal. Ask your health care provider what the best range of blood sugar is for you, how to test your blood sugar and how often. Careful meal planning and exercise to control your weight are important to control your diabetes. Your health care provider will evaluate if you need diabetes pills or insulin shots.
Your health care provider can also help you develop a plan for things you should do every day to take care of your diabetes, including following a healthy eating plan (eat your meals and snacks around the same time each day) and being active for a total of 30 minutes most days. If you do need diabetes medicine, take it at the same times every day. Test your blood sugar and record it in a diary, then call your health care provider if your numbers are too high or too low for two to three days. If you have high blood pressure, take your medicine exactly as prescribed. Check your bare feet for cuts, blisters, sores, swelling, redness, or sore toenails (use a mirror if you have trouble seeing the bottom of your feet). Brush and floss your teeth twice a day. And, don't smoke!
Since diabetes can cause serious problems for other parts of your body, you can help detect these problems early by: having an eye exam once a year, even if your eyes seem okay; having a dentist clean and check your teeth and gums twice a year; and having your urine tested at least once a year (to make sure your kidneys are healthy). See your health care provider right away if you have signs of a urinary tract, bladder, or kidney infection.
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