Fasting Blood Glucose Test

In layman's terms, diabetes is a state in which there is higher or lower than normal amount of blood glucose in the human body. But, why it is so? Blood sugar, is the fuel necessary for the functioning of the human body but, the body cells can only use it with the help of a hormone, insulin. If they are denied insulin, under any circumstances, the level of blood sugar starts rising in the blood, liver, etc.

The person whose body chemistry is undergoing a change, due to the lack of insulin or inability of the body cells to respond to insulin, experiences some distress. He/she may experience constant fatigue, increased thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, cramps, and blurred vision, which are classic diabetes symptoms.

A person experiencing any of these must seek medical attention. Among the various medical tests and tools, the fasting blood sugar test is a simple test, and is also referred to as the Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) test. Anyone, who is interested in finding out the level of blood glucose present in his/her body can take it.

The prerequisite is that you should fast or should not eat food for at least 8 hours before you undergo it. The FPG tests carried out in the morning are far more reliable in diagnosing diabetes than those carried out in the afternoon. For this reason, do your best to schedule the test in the morning or amend your daily routine accordingly. The fasting test involves, the lab technician taking your blood sample and having it sent to the laboratory for analysis.

The test results obtained are compared against the fasting blood glucose chart by the doctor. If your glucose blood level is equal to 126 mg/dl or higher, the doctor advises you to take another fasting test. If this test, which is to be carried on another day, confirms the results of your first fasting test, then you have diabetes. It is mentioned earlier that the FPG is a reliable test and thus, no further tests are necessary to support or discard the findings of the same.

The chart for blood sugar levels state that the normal blood glucose level should not exceed 100 mg/dl. The terms 'mg' stands for milligram and 'dl' for the deciliter and the expression '100 mg/dl' means each deciliter of blood contains 100 milligrams of glucose. "One tenth of a liter" makes a deciliter.

On the other hand, if your blood sugar level ranges between 100-125 mg/dl, the doctor advises you to undergo another fasting blood sugar test which may help him/her to decide whether to classify you as a diabetic or not.

Nowadays, it is easy to measure and monitor your blood glucose level with glucose meters. These devices are easy to handle and require you to place a drop of your blood on the surface of 'test strip' which is provided with each device. These test strips are easily disposable and are treated with chemicals such as glucose oxidase, dehydrogenase,or hexokinase.

These chemicals react with the blood sugar present in the blood sample. Glucose meter manufacturers, employ different techniques to measure the extent of the chemical reaction on the surface of the test strip and accordingly, display the results.

If one of your family members uses a glucose meter for monitoring his/her blood glucose levels then try borrowing it to check your blood sugar too. Before using the meter, abstain from food for at least 8 hours and then take the test.

Consult a doctor about the results of the glucose meter test so as not to confuse the symptoms with either hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, which are again disorders related to an imbalance in the blood sugar.

Hereditary, lifestyle, and age-related issues may contribute to the chances of getting affected by diabetes. Diabetes is of 2 types: Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes mellitus (Type 1) is a commonly found diabetes in children. The test is not a prevention against diabetes but just a method of finding out, whether you have it or not. If you are diagnosed as a diabetic then change in lifestyle, adopting a diabetic diet over the other types of food, may help you in dealing with the condition.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.