Doctors order blood glucose tests to screen for diabetes, pre-diabetes and hypoglycemia. Your doctor may order a blood glucose test as part of a general physical examination or if you have symptoms of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. Pregnant women routinely undergo blood glucose testing to screen for gestational diabetes.
Normal Glucose Range
The American Diabetes Association has established lab ranges for blood glucose tests that apply to all ages. A fasting glucose level of 70 to 99 mg/dL represents a normal range for any age. A blood test result that ranges from 100 to 125 mg/dL indicates impaired fasting glucose, and anything over 126 mg/dL indicates diabetes. If your doctor orders blood glucose tests, he will help you understand the results.
Type I Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a disease that results in high glucose levels because the body can't produce insulin, which is a hormone that controls carbohydrate metabolism. It's usually diagnosed in childhood and is less common than type 2 diabetes; only 5 percent of diabetics have type 1 diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. People with type 1 diabetes usually need to take insulin to manage their conditions.
Type II Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form that is usually is diagnosed in adults. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas doesn't produce sufficient amounts of insulin or the cells don't respond to insulin the way they should. If you have type 2 diabetes, you may be able to manage your blood sugar with dietary changes or medications; however, you may need to use insulin.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes usually develops just past the mid-point of pregnancy. It only occurs in 4 percent of women who are pregnant, but that equals about 135,000 pregnancies each year, according to 2011 information from the American Diabetes Association. A woman can become resistant to the insulin her body makes while she is pregnant and her blood glucose levels may elevate. Gestational diabetes may cause newborn babies to have too much insulin and may put them at risk for type II diabetes later in life.
