Diabetes-Related Tests and Exams

If you have diabetes, there are a number of special tests and exams used to confirm the diagnosis, and to maintain appropriate sugar levels. The first place to start should always be a thorough exam performed by your medical practitioner. As part of the exam, your doctor will inquire about any family history of diabetes or the associated risk factors. Your doctor will also ask about any medications you are taking, medical allergies, and whether you have any signs of cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol.

One of quickest and easiest methods to aid a diabetes diagnosis is a finger stick test. You make a pinprick on your finger, and squeeze a drop of blood onto a test strip. You then insert the test strip into a small machine--the same machine that diabetics typically use at home to check their sugar levels. While these machines are quick and convenient, they sometimes give an unusually high or low reading. They also are not always as accurate as a laboratory test--generally within about 10 percent of the reading the laboratory test would give.

If the diagnosis requires digging deeper, a fasting plasma glucose test may be needed. With a fasting plasma glucose test, you will not be able to eat for the eight hours before your test is scheduled. Your blood is drawn, usually in the morning, and a blood sugar reading is taken. Your reading should not be more than 126 mg/dl. If the reading is higher, you probably have diabetes. The doctor may have the test repeated on another day to corroborate the results, or you may be asked to take a glucose tolerance test or a glycosylated hemoglobin test. These tests are more accurate and will confirm either that you have diabetes or that you are considered prediabetic--meaning you have a high risk of developing diabetes in the future.

For the oral glucose tolerance test, the lab technician will take and test a sample of your blood. You then drink a very sweet liquid, wait two hours, and have another blood sample drawn. If the results show your blood glucose level to be over 200 mg/dl, you are diabetic. A reading between 140 and 200 would suggest a prediabetes condition.

While the oral glucose tolerance test is accurate, the most accurate test is the glycosylated hemoglobin test. This test measures how high your sugar level has been over the last 120 days--the normal life span of red blood cells. Extra glucose attaches to red blood cells and, once there, remains for the life of the cell. This test is the best measurement for people who already have diabetes, but it is also becoming more commonly used as a diagnostic tool for diabetes.

You may have seen the television advertisements for blood glucose monitors that do not need a finger stick every time you need to test your levels. This type of monitor is particularly nice for those of us that use our fingers in our work. It is also great for those diabetics that need to test everyday.