Diabetes is one of the most common health conditions in India that has affected more than 101 million people, and as per the reports, more than 136 million people are in the pre-diabetes stages. Even though there is no permanent treatment for the condition, there are several ways you can regulate its intensity and live a normal life.
But for that, one must be strict about following the doctor’s guidelines and take the follow-up diagnostic tests seriously. One of the tests that doctors recommend for determining the diabetes condition and its intensity is a blood sugar test.
The doctors mostly recommend that patients take the blood sugar test to screen if they are suffering from Type 2 diabetes. To help you know more about this diagnostic test, let’s dive deeper into this article.
What is the Blood Sugar Test?
Most people know about this test as a diagnostic measure for determining diabetes conditions. But if you assess the scientific aspects, a random blood sugar test is to specify the glucose level present in your blood. Two different types of tests fall under this category, which includes:
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Capillary Blood Sugar Test
The healthcare professional will collect a simple drop of blood on a test strip by pricking your fingertip and then feeding it into the glucose metre. This will instantly show the levels of glucose in your blood within a matter of a few seconds.
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Plasma or Venous Blood Sugar Test
In this test, a phlebotomist will collect your blood sample from the vein, and it will then be sent to the laboratory for proper analysis. The reports will be sent to you within the specified timeline. The results obtained from this test tend to be more accurate than the capillary test.
When do the Doctors Recommend Patients get the Blood Sugar Test?
Three major reasons to convince the doctors to prescribe you a blood sugar test on priority include:
- The healthcare providers might have ordered you a routine bloodwork, which is called the BMP (Basic Metabolic Panel) or CMP (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel). In both of these processes, it is recommended that you perform a blood sugar test.
- You might be having high or low blood sugar symptoms, which might indicate some form of diabetes or any other underlying condition. If the doctors come to know about any of the associated symptoms, they will recommend you take the test.
- If you have been consuming any long-term medication, such as corticosteroids, which might be altering your blood sugar levels, you will need routine blood sugar tests to keep it under control.
- The most common recommendation for the blood sugar test is to screen your health for Type 2 diabetes.
Some of the diabetic symptoms associated with high blood sugar and low blood sugar levels that trigger the necessity for you to take the blood sugar test are:
High Levels of Blood Sugar:
- Blurred vision
- Feeling extreme hunger
- Frequent urination
- Feeling thirsty
- Slowered healing of the sores or cuts
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
Low Levels of Blood Sugar:
- Trembling or shaking sensation
- Chills or sweating
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Faster heart rate
- Anxiousness
- Intense hunger
Also Read: Blood Sugar Levels Chart Low, Normal High Ranges
How to Prepare for the Blood Sugar Test?
If the medical professional has asked you for a blood sugar test upon fasting, you won’t have to eat or drink anything other than plain water at least 8 to 10 hours before the test. In case the blood sugar test is part of the diagnostic procedure for some comprehensive or basic metabolic panel, doctors might ask you to fast for several hours before the blood can be drawn.
What Can You Expect During a Blood Sugar Test?
For the venous or plasma blood sugar test, you will be taken through a systematic procedure, which includes:
- You will be asked to settle down in a chair, and the phlebotomist will then check your arms for an accessible vein. Once the vein is located, the spot will be cleaned and disinfected.
- A small needle will then be inserted into the vein to take a blood sample, which might feel like a very small pinch.
- Once the needle is inside, a small amount of blood will be drawn and collected in a test tube. The needle will then be removed.
- The punctured site on your arm will then be bandaged, and the blood sample will then be sent to the lab.
- You will be provided with the reports within a couple of days.
For the capillary blood sugar test, the process is quite simple, as follows:
- The doctor will ask you about which finger you would want them to use for pricking and drawing a drop of blood.
- They will first disinfect the fingertip using some alcohol swab and will then prick it with a lancet or small needle.
- Your fingertip will then be squeezed to draw a single drop of blood, and you will then place your finger against the test strip, which will be inserted into the glucometer.
- The glucometer will then show the blood sugar levels in just a few seconds.
What do the Results of the Blood Sugar Test Signify?
Upon giving the blood sugar test, you will be provided with information such as the name of the test, normal blood sugar levels chart, your measurement against it and information on whether the test is normal or not.
For you to better understand how to assess the results, you must know that the normal fasting blood sugar test results for anyone who isn’t suffering from diabetes will be 70 to 99 mg/dL. But, if the fasting blood sugar level is recorded to be between 100 to 125 mg/dL, it indicates that you have prediabetes.
People who have been suffering from prediabetes are at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. But if the condition has been diagnosed at the earliest, doctors can give medications and treatment solutions to prevent Type 2 diabetes.
But, if your fasting blood sugar level is 126 mg/dL or more than that, it indicates that you have diabetes. In such cases, doctors recommend testing the blood sugar levels in your body multiple times to finally come to a validated conclusion.
But that’s not it! If you have a low blood sugar level than 70 mg/dL, it is called the hypoglycemia condition. It is mostly common for people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes who consume some medications. Such a condition is quite rare in people who aren’t suffering from diabetes. In case you aren’t diabetic, then low blood sugar levels might indicate some other health issues, such as liver disease, kidney disease, insulinoma and others.
Conclusion
It doesn’t matter if you are diabetic or not; if your doctors have recommended you to take the blood sugar test, they have seen some symptoms that indicate the condition. Therefore, do get the tests done at the earliest without neglecting it, as there might still be time for you to prevent Type 2 diabetes.
If you are a diabetic patient, your doctor will eventually recommend you keep testing your blood sugar levels frequently after every specific interval. In either case, you will need a reliable diagnostics service provider to conduct the blood sugar tests in the most convenient manner and provide you with faster results.
Agilus is one of the best diagnostics clinics that not only offers you blood sugar tests at an affordable price but also advises you on how to regulate it and the periodic interval after which you must come for a test again. So, book your appointments with us today, or get in touch with us to know more about our blood sugar test process.
Agilus Diagnostics, a subsidiary of Fortis Healthcare Limited
