Contributed by – Healthians Team
What is a blood glucose test?
Glucose is a type of sugar that your body makes from the food you eat. It travels through the bloodstream to the cells with the help of insulin hormone, which is produced by the pancreas. A blood glucose test measures the amount of glucose level in your blood.
If the insulin in your body doesn’t work properly, then the amount of glucose can increase in your blood and lead to organ damage. The condition of high levels of blood glucose in your blood is called hyperglycemia. In some cases, blood glucose testing may also be used to test for the condition called hypoglycemia where the level of glucose in your blood is low.
Who should get the blood glucose test?
The blood glucose test is helpful for the early detection of diabetes that causes the blood sugar level to rise. People at the age of 45 or older are at risk of getting diabetes. Also, if you have any symptoms like increased hungriness, blurry vision, fatigue, or weight loss, then your doctor may order a blood glucose test.
If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, then your doctor may order a blood glucose test to determine the level of blood glucose. In these types of conditions, either your body can’t produce enough insulin or the produced insulin is not properly utilised by your body properly.
Why is this needed?
A blood sugar test is needed for the early detection of diabetes and helps in managing blood sugar levels. This test can help you track the progress in reaching the treatment goals. The blood sugar test is performed to understand the factors such as illness or stress and how it can affect your blood sugar levels.
What do the test results mean?
The blood glucose test result depends on the type of tests performed. In a fasting blood glucose test, the normal range of blood glucose levels is between 70 and 100 mg/dL whereas, in a random blood glucose test, the normal range of blood glucose levels is under 125 mg/dL.
If the blood glucose level in the fasting blood glucose test is higher than 126 mg/dL, it is considered as having high you may have diabetes. And in a random blood glucose test if it is higher than 200 mg/dL, then that is considered to be the threshold for diabetes.
How is the blood glucose test done?
Your doctor or any phlebotomist can take your blood sample to perform the test. They tie an elastic band on your upper arm and wipe the area with an antiseptic liquid. Then they take your blood sample and send it for testing. Normally, fasting is not required for the random blood glucose test whereas fasting is necessary for the fasting blood glucose test. It’s best to consult your doctor for any specific advice related to the test or know about any other information on it.
