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...
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...
Glucose is the food that the body's cells depend upon to live and reproduce. So many body systems depend on a steady, moderate supply of glucose that when the glucose level varies too much, permanent damage can occur. Low levels of glucose are...
Your blood naturally contains a certain amount of a sugar known as glucose. Glucose is the predominant fuel for cells within the body. High blood glucose levels can be a sign of diabetes, a condition caused by problems with how your body produces...
The condition known as hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar, or glucose, levels drop too low. The condition is treatable, but causes serious complications when left untreated. Low blood sugar is a common reaction for diabetics from medicine,...
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...
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...
Diabetes is a condition that causes blood glucose levels to be elevated. Monitoring blood glucose helps diabetics avoid some of the complications of this disease, which include heart disease and vision problems. Blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c...
Blood glucose tests are one way to measure how your body utilizes insulin. The fasting glucose test, taken before any meals, gives you an idea of the baseline level of glucose present in your blood, and can be an indicator of the development of...
Regular monitoring of your blood glucose is the main tool you have for managing your diabetes. This is recommended for anyone who takes insulin, has a difficult time controlling their blood sugar, experiences low blood sugar without warning or who...
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...
High blood sugar, medically known as hyperglycemia, happens when the body cannot make insulin or does not respond to insulin properly, according to KidsHealth.org. If left untreated, damage to the blood vessels can occur, increasing the risks of...
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...
Blood glucose testing is one of the most important tests you can perform on your own to maintain your glucose levels when you have diabetes. Your doctor will explain how often you need to test and what your target glucose reading should be, as...
Diabetes is a disease that causes increased levels of sugar or glucose to remain in the blood. A fasting blood glucose test is a reliable method to diagnose and maintain this common condition, as well as related disorders. This test is also called...
Normally, your body undergoes a series of physiological reactions to help control your blood glucose level. If you are diabetic, it means that some aspect of these physiological processes is not working properly. Although there are different...
A fasting blood sugar test, also called a fasting blood glucose test, is a method used to diagnose cases of diabetes. This disorder occurs when the body cannot properly process the glucose obtained from dietary carbohydrates. Doctors...
The only way that a diagnosis of diabetes can be confirmed is by one or more blood tests that are carried out by a physician. Symptoms of diabetes include fatigue, excess thirst and hunger and frequent urination. The National Institute of...
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...
Diabetes results when there is no control of blood sugar in the body because of inadequate insulin production or decreased response to insulin, the hormone that regulates the level of glucose, or sugar, in the blood. Hypoglycemia, or low blood...
The technical term for elevated glucose levels or high blood sugar is hyperglycemia. Anyone who has consistent hyperglycemia will be diagnosed as having diabetes. Children can develop diabetes as well as adults, and in 2007, according to the...
Glucose is a simple sugar that serves as the body's primary source of energy. The amount of glucose in your blood is tightly controlled by several physiological processes. If these physiological processes are disrupted in any way, it can lead to...
Doctors routinely test pregnant women for gestational diabetes since this condition can harm the baby if it isn't treated. High blood glucose levels may be the only sign of this condition, so this blood test is needed to determine whether a...
Your body maintains tight control on your blood sugar level. An increase normally occurs after meals as sugars and starches break down in your intestines and enter your bloodstream. The magnitude of rise in your blood sugar level after meals...
Diabetes is a condition that causes patients to have elevated levels of glucose in the blood due to problems with insulin, which helps regulate blood glucose levels. There are two kinds of diabetes: Type 1 is marked by a lack of insulin production...
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 levels in healthy people without diabetes normally stay within a fairly narrow range. After you eat, food is broken down in the stomach. Proteins, carbohydrates and fats enter the bloodstream and are taken up into the cells. Some are...
Glucose is often referred to as blood glucose or blood sugar. Glucose, the major source of energy for the blood's cells, is carried to cells through the bloodstream, according to Kids Health. It comes from food or the body manufactures it. Insulin...
Checking glucose levels is one of the best ways you can monitor diseases like diabetes. Diabetic patients often experience significant highs and lows of blood sugar, and you can minimize the negative effects of such changes by checking glucose...
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.
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...
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.
