diabetes
diagnosis
Diabetes diagnosis
Diabetes diagnosis first reactions may be disbelief, sadness, anger or self-blame. If you feel this way, you are not alone.
There are several ways to diagnose diabetes. Each way usually needs to be repeated on a second day to diagnose diabetes.
Testing should be carried out in a health care setting (such as your doctor’s office or a lab). If your doctor determines that your blood sugar level is very high, or if you have classic symptoms of high blood sugar in addition to one positive test, your doctor may not require a second test to diagnose diabetes.
A1C
The A1C test measures your average blood sugar for the past two to three months. The advantages of being diagnosed this way are that you don’t have to fast or drink anything.
Diabetes is diagnosed at an A1C of greater than or equal to 6.5%
Result
A1C
Normal less than 5.7%
Prediabetes 5.7% to 6.4%
Diabetes 6.5% or higher
Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)
This test checks your fasting blood sugar levels. Fasting means after not having anything to eat or drink (except water) for at least 8 hours before the test. This test is usually done first thing in the morning, before breakfast.
Diabetes is diagnosed at fasting blood sugar of greater than or equal to 126 mg/dl
Result
Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)
Normal less than 100 mg/dl
Prediabetes 100 mg/dl to 125 mg/dl
Diabetes 126 mg/dl or higher
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)
The OGTT is a two-hour test that checks your blood sugar levels before and two hours after you drink a special sweet drink. It tells the doctor how your body processes sugar.
Diabetes is diagnosed at 2 hour blood sugar of greater than or equal to 200 mg/dl
Result
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)
Normal less than 140 mg/dl
Prediabetes 140 mg/dl to 199 mg/dl
Diabetes 200 mg/dl or higher
Random (also called Casual) Plasma Glucose Test
This test is a blood check at any time of the day when you have severe diabetes symptoms.
Diabetes is diagnosed at blood sugar of greater than or equal to 200 mg/dl
What is prediabetes?
Before people develop type 2 diabetes, they almost always have “prediabetes”—blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.
Doctors sometimes refer to prediabetes as impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or impaired fasting glucose (IFG), depending on what test was used when it was detected. This condition puts you at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Symptoms
There are no clear symptoms of prediabetes, so you may have it and not know it.
Some people with prediabetes may have some of the symptoms of diabetes or even problems from diabetes already. You usually find out that you have prediabetes when being tested for diabetes.
If you have prediabetes, you should be checked for type 2 diabetes every one to two years.
Results indicating prediabetes are:
An A1C of 5.7%–6.4%
Fasting blood sugar of 100–125 mg/dl
An OGTT 2 hour blood sugar of 140 mg/dl–199 mg/dl
Preventing type 2 diabetes
You will not develop type 2 diabetes automatically if you have prediabetes. For some people with prediabetes, early treatment can actually return blood sugar levels to the normal range.
Research shows that you can lower your risk for type 2 diabetes by 58% by:
Losing 7% of your body weight (or 15 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds)
Exercising moderately (such as brisk walking) 30 minutes a day, five days a week
Don’t worry if you can’t get to your ideal body weight. Losing even 10 to 15 pounds can make a huge difference.
https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/a1c/diagnosis
Diabetes diagnosis (by type)
How is gestational diabetes
diagnosed?
• All pregnant women should be tested for
gestational diabetes between 24 to 28 weeks
(unless they have been diagnosed with type 1
diabetes or type 2 diabetes before pregnancy).
• Women who have risk factors for gestational
diabetes may be tested earlier in their
pregnancy.
• Gestational diabetes is diagnosed using an
oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). This is
done at a pathology lab. You will need to fast
overnight before having this test.
• Blood will be taken to check your fasting blood
glucose level. After this, you will be given a
sugary drink and have your blood tested one
and two hours later. You will be asked to sit
and wait between tests.
• If your blood glucose level is above the normal
range at your fasting, one or two-hour test,
you have gestational diabetes
What are the symptoms
of type 1 diabetes?
The most common symptoms of undiagnosed
type 1 diabetes include:
• unexplained weight loss
• being thirsty and drinking a lot more than usual
• going to the toilet to pass urine more often
• feeling tired and low on energy
• genital thrush
• mood changes.
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes can develop
quickly and need immediate medical attention.
If type 1 diabetes is left untreated, diabetic
ketoacidosis (also known as DKA) will develop.
Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when the liver
makes chemicals, called ‘ketones’ because
there is not enough insulin in the body to use
glucose for energy. So, the body breaks down
fat as a source of energy instead. This break down turns fat into ketones, a type of acid, and
sends them into the bloodstream. Ketones in
large amounts are toxic to the body as the blood
becomes too acidic. High glucose levels also
result in dehydration and a loss of body salts and
fluids. This is life-threatening and requires urgent
hospital treatment
How is type 1 diabetes diagnosed?
• If your doctor thinks your symptoms suggest
you have type 1 diabetes, your blood will be
checked for high glucose levels, and your
blood or urine for ketones. The body makes
ketones in large amounts when there is little
or no insulin. If ketones are present, you may
have type 1 diabetes. A high blood glucose
level will confirm the diagnosis.
• Your doctor will also order blood tests to
look for autoantibodies. These tests can help
to work out if you have autoimmune type 1
diabetes.
• If you have symptoms of type 1 diabetes,
see a doctor without delay and ask for a for
diabetes check. Early diagnosis of type 1
diabetes can prevent diabetic ketoacidosis.
How is type 2 diabetes diagnosed?
There are three blood glucose checks that are
used to diagnose type 2 diabetes:
A blood glucose check sent to pathology.
This may be done as either fasting (after having
nothing to eat or drink for at least eight hours) or
non-fasting.
An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).
You will be given a sugary drink after having
a fasting blood glucose check and then have
another blood glucose check one and two hours
afterwards.
A HbA1c check sent to pathology. This reflects
your average blood glucose level over the last 10
to 12 weeks. You do not need to fast for this.
What are the symptoms
of type 2 diabetes?
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes can include:
• being thirsty and drinking more than usual
• going to the toilet (to pass urine) more often
• feeling tired and low on energy
• having sores or cuts that will not heal
• having blurred vision
• having frequent fungal or bacterial infections
including skin infections, urinary tract
infections and thrush
• having pain or tingling in the legs or feet.
These symptoms can appear slowly and often
go unnoticed for a long time. Some people may
not even have any symptoms! Sometimes the
first sign of diabetes may be a diabetes-related
complication such as a foot ulcer, heart attack or
vision problem.
If you experience any of the above symptoms,
please talk to your doctor. Early diagnosis
and intervention can have a big impact on the
management of type 2 diabetes.