Blood Glucose: What To Think About

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What To Think About

• Other tests are needed to accurately diagnose diabetes. A blood glucose test may not identify some people with prediabetes or early diabetes. Many experts recommend using a glucose tolerance test if your fasting blood glucose level measures in the range of 100 mg/dL (5.5 mmol/L) to 125 mg/dL (6.9 mmol/L). This range is above the normal range but below the range that indicates diabetes. For more information, see the medical test Oral Glucose Tolerance Test.
• Glucose levels in urine can also be measured. Many people with diabetes have glucose in their urine. But the level in the blood must be very high before glucose can be detected in the urine. For this reason, tests for glucose in urine are not used to diagnose or monitor diabetes. For more information, see the medical test Urine Test.
• If you have diabetes, you will be able to measure your blood glucose levels at home. For more information, see the medical test Home Blood Glucose Test.
• A glycohemoglobin test can help monitor the long-term control of blood glucose levels in people with diabetes. This test is the preferred method of monitoring long-term control of blood sugar levels. For more information, see the medical test Glycohemoglobin (GHb).
• An oral glucose tolerance test may be done with a blood glucose test to confirm a diagnosis of diabetes. An oral glucose tolerance test is most commonly done to screen pregnant women for gestational diabetes. For more information, see the medical test Oral Glucose Tolerance Test.

Last updated:	July 25, 2007
Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Reviewed By:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine, Alan C. Dalkin, MD - Endocrinology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer