The level of blood glucose can be measured with a blood sugar test. It can be used to identify diabetes or to support people with diabetes in monitoring their insulin and blood sugar levels.
What Is A Blood Sugar Test?
Blood sugar test is the practise of taking blood to analyse the level of glucose, or sugar, in your blood. This test could be prescribed by a clinician to assist identify diabetes. This test is also used to control diabetes in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
When the body’s cells that produce insulin are damaged, type 1 diabetes results. When your body develops an inability to effectively utilise insulin due to resistance to it, type 2 diabetes results. If they are not properly managed, both kinds might lead to excessive blood sugar levels.
Blood sugar tests provide you with immediate results and reveal the following:
● whether your blood sugar is high or low
● If you need to alter your diet or exercise regimen, how well your diabetic treatment is going, or if your overall treatment objectives are reachable
As part of a standard examination, a doctor could also request a blood sugar test even if you have not yet been given a diabetes diagnosis. They might also check to discover if you have diabetes or prediabetes, a disorder marked by elevated blood sugar levels.
If someone has diabetic symptoms or certain risk factors, they may need to be tested.
What Does A Test For Blood Sugar Do?
To determine whether you have diabetes or prediabetes, a doctor would prescribe a blood sugar test. The test will calculate your blood glucose level. Your body transforms the carbohydrates in foods like grains and fruits into glucose. One of the body’s main energy sources is sugar and glucose.
A home test helps diabetics keep track of their blood sugar levels. Finding out your blood sugar levels through a glucose blood test can help you decide whether you need to change your diet, engage in more activity, or take diabetes medications.
If untreated, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can cause seizures or a coma. Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, can cause diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal illness that’s frequently a worry for people with type 1 diabetes. Long-term hyperglycemia can increase your risk of developing neuropathy (nerve damage), as well as heart, kidney, and eye conditions.
What Are The Types Of Blood Sugar Tests?
The various types of Blood Sugar tests are-
● Fasting Blood Sugar Test– A fasting blood sugar test is performed immediately after waking up, on an empty stomach. 70 to 99 mg/dl would be the usual range for the result.
● Random Blood Sugar Test– Any reading up to 125 mg/dl on a random blood sugar test that is conducted during the course of the day is regarded as normal. However, these changes depending on when and what was most recently consumed.
● Post-Prandial Blood Sugar Test– Two hours after a healthy meal, a post prandial blood sugar test is performed. The reading should not exceed 140 to 145 mg/dl if blood glucose levels are normal.
● Oral Glucose-Tolerance Test (GTT)- The oral glucose tolerance test (GTT) is performed by collecting a blood sample, having the subject consume a glucose solution, and then taking further blood samples an hour later. This is carried out to examine how the body responds to glucose.
● Glycohemoglobin Test- The glycohemoglobin test, often known as the A1C test, provides a readout of the average blood glucose levels during the previous three months. It measures the amount of glucose bound to the haemoglobin in the RBCs, which typically live for three months, and is based on the idea that glucose binds to haemoglobin in the blood. A typical reading falls between 4% and 6%.
There are two methods for testing your blood sugar.
● A glucometer can be used everyday testing for diabetics who are managing or monitoring their condition. Using a lancet, a sample of blood is drawn from the skin, typically a finger, and placed on a test strip before being inserted into the monitor.
● The second technique entails a medical expert taking a blood sample and submitting it to a lab for analysis.
● Typically, blood samples are used to check for diabetes. A fasting blood sugar (FBS) test, which gauges your blood sugar levels, is often prescribed by a physician.
● A test for glycosylated haemoglobin known as the haemoglobin A1C test may also be requested. Your blood sugar levels during the previous 90 days are reflected in the test results. Your prediabetes or diabetes will be revealed by the test findings. This test can track how well diabetes is controlled in those who have already received a diagnosis.
When Should You Test Blood Sugar?
Depending on the type of diabetes you have and how you are being treated, you should check your blood sugar at specific intervals.
Diabetes Type 1
According to various research, you should keep an eye on your blood sugar levels if you’re using an insulin pump or multiple-dose insulin to manage type 1 diabetes:
● prior to consuming a meal or snack
● If you have any low or high blood sugar symptoms, wait for two to three hours before going to bed.
High Blood Sugar
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) advises that if you have diabetes and experience growing thirst and the urge to urinate, you should check your blood sugar levels. These can be signs of elevated blood sugar levels. This can indicate that you need to change your treatment strategy.
If you have well-controlled diabetes but are still experiencing symptoms, it’s possible that you’re ill or under stress. Managing your carbohydrate consumption and exercising can both help lower blood sugar levels. You might need to consult a doctor to determine how to get your blood sugar levels back into the target range if these changes don’t work.
Low Blood Sugar
If you have any of the following symptoms, you should check your blood sugar levels, advises the ADA:
● sweaty or chilly
● shaky
● lightheaded or dizzy
● tingly or numb in the lips or tongue
● irritated or impatient
● confused
● hungry and nauseous
● sleepy
● weak
● angry, stubborn, or sad
Low blood sugar or insulin shock can cause severe symptoms like delirium, convulsions, or coma. Ask your doctor about glucagon, a prescription drug that can assist if you’re experiencing a severe low blood sugar reaction if you take daily insulin injections.
Low blood sugar levels might also exist without any obvious symptoms. This is referred to as hypoglycemic ignorance. Testing your blood sugar more frequently may be necessary if you have a history of hypoglycemia unawareness.
Pregnancy
Gestational diabetes can occur in certain people during pregnancy. When hormones obstruct how your body uses insulin, this occurs. Blood sugar levels increase as a result.
If you have gestational diabetes, your doctor might advise that you test your blood sugar frequently. Testing assists in keeping you informed about your blood sugar levels so you can take the required precautions to ensure that it is within a safe range. After giving birth, gestational diabetes normally disappears.
How Can I Get The Test Done?
Here is the answer to the question of how to check your sugar levels. Contrary to many other tests, getting a blood sugar test done is easy and takes very little time. But it’s crucial to get it done somewhere reputable and reliable, so we advise you to go to Likhitha’s Diagnostics. They have locations all over India and are one of the most reputable diagnostic centres. Along with their professionalism and dedication to each patient, you’ll also feel at ease around them. Call the diagnostic centre to book an appointment to schedule your test if you are unable to get there. They offer to pick up your samples at your house. What are you waiting for? Schedule your blood sugar checkup appointment right away now that you are aware of the value of routine testing.