Having diabetes or high cholesterol raises your risk for heart disease. A person with both high cholesterol and diabetes is at greatly increased risk for cardiovascular problems. Sixty-five percent of people with diabetes die from heart disease or...
Blood glucose (also known as blood sugar) is one of the body's primary sources of fuel. It is the preferred source of fuel by the brain and muscles and is important for producing energy. Glucose comes from carbohydrates in the diet and is...
If you think you have diabetes, testing your blood glucose will be an essential component of an overall management plan. Your blood glucose levels change based on your eating habits and activity level. You need to test regularly to prevent your...
Doctors test the blood glucose levels of pregnant women to see if they have developed gestational diabetes. If you have gestational diabetes and don't get the proper treatment, it can cause problems for your baby, including difficulty breathing,...
Fasting glucose tests measure the amount of glucose in the blood when the patient hasn't eaten for several hours (usually a minimum of eight hours without eating or drinking anything except water). The National Institute of Diabetes Digestive and...
Several tests exist to check blood sugar levels. According to the National Institutes of Health, the standard fasting glucose test measures blood glucose levels after a fasting period of at least eight hours. The oral glucose tolerance test...
Diabetes mellitus is a disease that can affect every organ system in the body. Diabetes affects the way the body utilizes glucose, the main source of energy for muscle and other tissues. The pancreas produces insulin to transfer glucose into the...
Glucose is the main form of energy for the body and travels in the bloodstream. The body requires a certain amount of glucose to function properly, but having too much or too little glucose in the blood is harmful and can lead to many...
The oral glucose tolerance test, or OGTT, screens for diabetes mellitus and gestational diabetes if you are pregnant or have symptoms of diabetes like excessive thirst and urination, night sweats and an elevated blood glucose. The OGTT evaluates...
Many conditions affect the utilization of glucose in the body including, drugs, stress, illness, infection, insulin resistance and diabetes. Doctors employ blood glucose tests for screening and diagnosis of problems with glucose homeostasis, or...
Glucose tests provide a way to measure your blood sugar levels. Normally, your doctor recommends a fasting glucose test after not eating overnight, usually doing the test first thing in the morning. After meals, blood sugar levels show whether...
An estimated 23.6 million people in the United States have diabetes, a condition characterized by high blood sugar levels, according to 2007 statistics, the most recent published by the American Diabetes Association. If you have a family history...
Dr. Robert C. Atkins developed the Atkins Diet in the 1970s as a weight-loss tool. The most recent version of the diet, published in "The New Atkins for a New You: The Ultimate Diet for Shedding Weight and Feeling Great" is by three researchers in...
Blood Glucose Test Strips are used to monitor blood sugar in diabetics. Handheld monitors offer the convenience of tracking blood sugar anywhere and at any time. Many different brands are available and with the help of your doctor you can select...
Diabetes interferes with the production of insulin and use of glucose. Blood glucose levels become elevated, wreaking havoc with the other organ systems in the body. In order to diagnose diabetes or its precursor, pre-diabetes, a fasting plasma...
Monitoring your glucose level may be the most important tool you have for controlling your diabetes. The food you eat, any medication you take, your stress level and the amount of energy you use exercising will all affect your blood sugar. Staying...
Gestational diabetes — intolerance to glucose that develops during pregnancy — is dangerous to the fetus and mother. In 2011, the American Diabetes Association added diabetic screening to the first prenatal visit for women with...
Glucose tests measure the level of sugar in the blood. For a fasting glucose test, you should eat or drink nothing but clear liquids within eight hours of the test. For a standard or random glucose test, any substance that contains sugar will...
Around 23.8 million Americans had diabetes in 2007, according to the American Diabetic Association. Because type 2 diabetes, formerly known as adult onset diabetes, may not cause any symptoms in its early stages, blood tests such as the glucose...
If your doctor suspects you have diabetes or pre-diabetes, she will likely order a glucose test. This test measures the amount of sugar, or glucose, in your blood. Your doctor also may order a glucose tolerance test. This measures how well your...
Health practitioners will often order a fasting blood glucose test in order to determine if you have a condition such as diabetes. Diabetes results when your body does not produce enough insulin to transfer your blood glucose into the cells....
An oral glucose tolerance test may be performed on healthy individuals, people with diabetes or pregnant women to observe the effects on blood sugar levels following the administration of glucose. The test may assist physicians in making a...
A fasting blood glucose test measures the amount of glucose -- or sugar -- in the blood at the exact time the sample is taken, without the interference of outside factors such as food or beverages that may affect the results. Your doctor may order...
The purpose of a glucose tolerance test is to measure the level of blood sugar in your system at a particular time. A high level of blood sugar may indicate diabetes, pre-diabetes, or hypoglycemia. Doctors often ask pregnant women to take a...
There is a test that can help determine if you have diabetes, a disease that affects the way your body manages sugar in your blood. There Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that there are now 24 million people in the United States...
Blood glucose levels are used to diagnose or monitor diabetes. Several forms of diabetes exist: Type 1 diabetes, generally diagnosed in children and young adults, is characterized by the body's inability to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is the...
Blood glucose testing is a standard component of routine blood tests ordered by a physician as part of an annual physical or prior to a surgical procedure. The physician may also order this test if a patient has symptoms related to diabetes such...
Blood glucose tests are a common, but accurate, method of evaluating your body's ability to process carbohydrates into glucose. Glucose is an important source of fuel for your brain, muscles and other organs. Blood glucose starts out as...
For those with diabetes, regular blood-glucose monitoring is essential for optimal glycemic control. According to the American Diabetes Association, your blood sugar should be less than 180 mg/dL two hours after a meal. It should be 90 to 130...
Sugar levels in the blood, or blood sugar, are regulated in the body by insulin. Learn about blood sugar, including treatments and safe levels, in this health video.
There are two primary ways to diagnose diabetes. Learn how doctors use fasting blood sugar and glucose tolerance test to diagnose diabetes in this free video from a nutritionist specializing in diabetic diets.
Juvenile diabetes is abnormally high blood sugar and a form of disordered metabolism in young adults. Get expert tips and advice on preventing, diagnosing, and treating juvenile diabetes in this video.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a disease wherein the body does not produce adequate, or any, insulin to control blood sugar, which can result in coma or death if insulin is not delivered into the body regularly. Learn more about diabetes type 1...
