Glucose Tolerance Test
Glucose Tolerance Test or GTT is a laboratory blood test that is done to check the efficiency with which the body is able to metabolize sugar. The Glucose tolerance test is used to detect insulin resistance, diabetes and hypoglycemia. Initially the blood is tested after a fasting period of about 6 hours. Typically this fasting test is done on a person early morning after having refrained from eating or drinking anything after midnight. Then the person is given a certain amount of glucose is administered. The blood is then tested again after 30 minutes and 60 minutes.
Typical results of GTT:
Fasting for about 6 hours: 60 - 100 mg/dL. If your readings show 100 - 110 mg/dL, you might be suffering impaired fasting glycaemia or pre-diabetes condition.
1 hour after glucose consumption or after a meal: less than 200 mg/dL
2 hours after glucose consumption or after a meal: less than 140 mg/dL. Between 140 - 200 mg/dL also might be indicative of pre-diabetes.
Prediabetes
Nearly 79 million people in the US over age 20 have prediabetes. Prediabetes is a condition when the glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to indicate diabetes. It is called borderline diabetes. While most people with Pre diabetes do not exhibit symptoms, they are considered to be at high risk of developing heart disease.
In prediabetes, the subtle balance between glucose and insulin is thrown off, as the pancreas are not able to produce enough insulin after a meal to clear the incoming glucose from the blood. Or cells may be insulin resistant so that they do not allow the insulin to escort glucose from the blood stream into them. If you suffer prediabetes,you are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In addition, you may also encounter associated medical problems of diabetes, including heart disease and stroke.
Diagnosis of prediabetes
To determine prediabetes, the doctor performs three different blood tests:
Fasting plasma glucose
Oral glucose tolerance test and
Hemoglobin AIC test (Average blood sugar)
Lifestyle changes for prediabetes
Prediabetes should not be ignored as this heralds the process of damage to your heart and other organs such as kidneys, eyes, and nervous system. Losing excess weight can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Even losing 5 to 10% of excess weight can help. Aerobic exercise daily can keep your heart rate up. Eating a balanced diet with low fat protein, vegetables, and whole grains can prevent prediabetes from becoming diabetes.
Blood sugar test
- Fasting plasma glucose test: This blood sugar test is done on empty stomach. The patient should stop eating and drinking 8 hours before the test is done.
- Oral glucose tolerance test: This blood sugar test is conducted to check how the body reacts to a calculated amount of glucose. The person is required to follow a steady diet pattern by consuming at least 150g of carbohydrates per meal, for three days prior to the day of testing. The person is asked to stop eating and drinking 8 hours before the first blood sample is drawn. After drawing the first blood sample, glucose (pre measured amount) is given and another blood sample is drawn after 2 hours. (Normal level - less than 140 mg/dL - 7.77 mmol/L).
- Two-hour postprandial blood glucose test: The test for blood sugar is done after two hours after the intake of a meal.
- Random blood sugar test: This test is done at random, not taking into account the last time you ate. (Normal levels - less than 100 mg/dL - 5.55 mmol/L).
- Glycated hemoglobin test This test is conducted for patients already suffering from diabetes. The average blood sugar level over a period of three months is revealed and is used to check how much a person is able to maintain diabetes.
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Bibliography / Reference
Collection of Pages - Last revised Date: April 29, 2024