|
About Diabetes and Hypertension
> F.A.Q. > How will my doctor test
me for diabetes?
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions about Diabetes and Hypertension
(This website is provided for informational purposes
only and should not be considered as recommending specific treatments
or rendering medical advice. You should not rely on any information
in this website to replace evaluations with qualified health care
professionals to address your specific medical condition. Contact
your health care provider for specific information concerning
your disease and its treatment. Some of the information contained
below is excerpted from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Diabetes Information web site, for up-to-date information visit
their site at http://www.fda.gov/diabetes/).
What is diabetes?
How do I know if I have diabetes?
What factors increase my risk of getting
diabetes?
How will my doctor test me for diabetes?
How can I reduce my chance of getting
diabetes?
I have been diagnosed with Type II diabetes,
why do I also need to be concerned about high blood pressure?
I get my blood pressure taken at my doctor's
office; why should I also take my blood pressure at home?
What disease conditions can result from
diabetes and hypertension?
I have heard that high blood pressure and diabetes can lead to kidney disease, is this true?
I am excited about the DUO-CARE combined blood glucose and blood pressure monitor; do I need a doctor’s prescription to purchase one?
Can I use glucose test strips supplied
by another manufacturer?
Where can I find more information about
diabetes and high blood pressure?
How will my doctor test me for diabetes?
Although the amount of glucose in your blood varies depending
on when and what you eat, the range should be relatively narrow.
In general, your blood sugar is highest after you eat and lowest
after you have not eaten for 8-10 hours. After fasting all night,
most persons have blood glucose levels between 70 and 110 milligrams
of glucose per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). After eating a large
meal, a person's blood sugar will rise, but generally not above
140 mg/dL. People with untreated diabetes will have higher blood
sugars after fasting and after eating.
To check if you have diabetes, your doctor will test your blood
sugar levels. The results of these tests and other clinical findings
will be used to decide if you have diabetes and what type. Doctors
cannot diagnose diabetes on the basis of one single test. Instead,
they will perform two or more glucose tests before confirming
your diagnosis. The most common tests to measure glucose are the
fasting plasma glucose test, the random blood sugar test, and
the oral glucose tolerance test.
- Fasting plasma glucose test. Most experts recommend using
a fasting plasma glucose test to diagnose diabetes. Before taking
this test, you cannot eat anything for 8 to 10 hours. Blood
will be drawn from a vein in your arm and sent to a laboratory
for testing. If your fasting blood glucose is 126 mg/dL or higher,
your doctor will probably diagnose you with diabetes.
- Random blood sugar test. Many cases of diabetes are found
during routine physical exams when blood is drawn for other
tests. Since you don't necessarily fast before these physical
exams, you may have just eaten and your blood sugar may be high.
Even so, it shouldn't be higher than 200 mg/dL. If your random
blood glucose is higher than 200 mg/dL, your doctor will probably
suspect diabetes and may want to give you a fasting plasma glucose
test.
- Oral glucose tolerance test. In this test, a person consumes
a drink containing glucose dissolved in water. Blood is then
drawn in timed intervals over a three-hour period. If plasma
glucose levels rise more than expected, the person is diagnosed
with diabetes. This test is often used to check pregnant women
for gestational diabetes. It is rarely used to diagnose diabetes
in other patients, because it is cumbersome and time-consuming.
back to questions
Continued Pg 4> About Diabetes >
F.A.Q
|
