Ketones: What To Think About
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What To Think About
- The blood test can check for one type of ketone that the urine test cannot detect. Therefore, a urine test that does not show any ketones may not be accurate (false-negative result).
- Ketone levels will increase in your urine before they increase in your blood if you are fasting or on a very low carbohydrate diet.
- The American Diabetes Association recommends that you test your urine for ketones if you have diabetes and you:
- Are pregnant.
- Are sick or feeling very stressed.
- Have blood sugar levels of 300 mg/dL (16.7 mmol/L) or higher.
- Have symptoms of high blood sugar (diabetic ketoacidosis), such as nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain.
- Ketones can be tested at home using urine ketone test strips. A more accurate reading can be obtained by some home glucose meters that test for blood ketones.
| 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 |
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