7 Diabetes Tests Everyone should know about

Diabetes tests do two tasks. Firstly, they diagnose a person with diabetes—type 1, type 2, gestational or prediabetic— then they help in the regular checking of blood glucose levels.

Furthermore, a person can regularly monitor blood sugar levels at home. Steps to do this are mentioned below. Further, there are other supplementary tests a doctor may prescribe. Those are also mentioned.

Read on!

Tests for diabetes are of 3 major types: blood tests, urine tests and gestational tests. A doctor prescribes these tests for diagnosis or routine checking of blood sugar levels.

1. Diabetes Blood Test

Diabetes blood tests are carried out to determine the current stage of diabetes one is facing. There are 4 stages of the diseases that a diabetes blood test can identify. These are:

• Prediabetes
• Diabetes type 1
• Diabetes type 2
• Gestational diabetes

Blood tests for diabetes are pretty routine affairs, and the results should be available in less than 5 days. Since blood tests are simple, they are the preferred way of diagnosis.

2. Urine Test

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Urine tests are not considered accurate diabetes tests for diagnosis. However, they are used for monitoring the blood sugar level.

When there is an increase in blood sugar and a decrease in the insulin hormone, the body uses the fat to produce energy.

As a result, when it performs this synthesis, it releases ketones as a by-product. These ketones are released into the urine as waste products.

Hence, testing for them can help to track the lack of insulin or the blood sugar levels.

Ketones are acidic and highly poisonous to the body. Any build-up can lead to a coma or death. Hence, it is important to drink water regularly if diabetic to remove this toxic material from the body.

Mostly, doctors recommend urine tests as a diabetes test for a routine check-up. If glucose and insulin are present, then it could mean the body is not producing sufficient insulin.

Moreover, those with type 1 diabetes need ketone testing in urine rather than glucose testing.

Further, the table below shows the results for ketone testing in urine.

3. Gestational Diabetes Test

The third type of diabetes test is done for a pregnant woman at the start of the pregnancy. 

Again, doctors would evaluate gestational diabetes if the pregnant woman was at high or average risk for the condition. 

Based on the risk, the evaluation will be done as follows:

High Risk for Gestational Diabetes

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The doctor may test the pregnant woman for gestational diabetes at the first prenatal check-up if she has suffered any of the following before:

• She had gestational diabetes during her previous pregnancy.
• She was obese at the start of her pregnancy.
• She may have close blood relatives with diabetes.

Average Risk for Gestational Diabetes

If a doctor determines you have an average risk for gestational diabetes, he will schedule a test during the second trimester, around 24-28 weeks.

Following the results of the diabetes test, the treatment will be determined by a doctor.

There are two tests that a doctor may request to confirm gestational diabetes. These are as follows:

Follow-up Glucose Tolerance Testing or Glucose Tolerance Test

The follow-glucose tolerance test is similar to the oral glucose tolerance test. The pregnant woman has to fast overnight and report for a fasting blood sugar level the next morning.

After the first test, the lady has to drink a sweet solution. After this, the blood sugar level will be checked hourly for three hours. The diabetes test results are as follows:

Diabetes tests which are carried out at home, come in a kit. These tests usually include the following three components:

• Lancet or needle to prick the skin and draw blood
• Strips of paper to catch the blood
• Blood glucose monitoring gadget

Mostly, kits come with all three components. Whereas others have only the gadget and the strips and lancet have to be sourced from elsewhere.

There are different rates for the gadgets, so check with the insurance company before purchasing.

While the diagnostic tests for diabetes need to be carried out at a verified centre, home tests should only be done for monitoring purposes. Therefore, if a person has been diagnosed with diabetes, they should invest in this monitoring kit and periodically check their blood sugar levels.

Therefore, the following persons must perform regular home tests for diabetes:

• Prediabetes
• Type 1
• Type 2
• Gestational diabetes

To perform diabetes tests at home, first, a person will need to purchase the kit.

Following that, follow these steps to perform the test at home:

• Step 1: Completely wash and dry hands. Both the person and the administering helper should do this.
• Step 2: Clean the testing area (usually a fingertip, as it shows variation in blood sugar level quicker) with an alcohol swab or soapy water. Dry it after.
• Step 3: Some lancets allow the user to set how deep they want it to penetrate. However, you should set it deep the first time if you have thick skin around your fingertips.
• Step 4: Prick the finger.
• Step 5: Squeeze out a drop of blood and apply it to the paper strip.
• Step 6: Note and record the blood glucose level and inform your doctor if it is too high.

Sometimes you may also need to measure the HbA1c. The procedure is the same as above.

Apart from the above tests, there are other tests that your doctor can recommend. Here is a brief look at them.

Complete Blood Count

The CBC test gives a complete analysis of the blood components such as WBC, RBC and hemoglobin and platelets. This test is done to rule out other underlying medical conditions.

Cholesterol Test

Diabetes increases the chance of cholesterol and heart diseases. Therefore, regular cholesterol tests are also recommended for people with diabetes.

Triglycerides

Along with the cholesterol test, a doctor may recommend a triglycerides test. Triglycerides are a type of fat that causes heart disease in women.

Electrolytes

This test measures sodium, chloride, bicarbonate, and potassium, the main electrolytes. These tests are prescribed as a precaution for the effectiveness of the treatment.

C-peptides

C-peptide levels usually match the amount of insulin in the body. Therefore, the low presence of one indicates the low presence of the hormone insulin. Further, low C-peptides indicate type 1 diabetes.

Insulin Autoantibodies

This particular test looks for those antibodies the body produces in type 1 diabetes. These same antibodies also target beta cells.

Lastly, those were some of the additional tests a doctor may recommend for routine diabetic check-ups.

In conclusion, these are the diabetes tests a person may need to undergo to diagnose, monitor and treat their diabetes. A doctor will decide which tests need to be performed and at what frequency. Hence, avoid self-medicating for diabetes.

Stay safe, stay healthy!