Blood Sugar Level

A blood sugar level or blood glucose level measures how well a person's body is processing the sugar that is taken in through the diet. Test results can be obtained by a simple finger stick with a glucometer or with a traditional laboratory venipuncture. There are different tests that can determine blood sugar levels at various stages, such as a fasting, random, 2-hour glucose tolerance test, and glycated hemoglobin test. All of these tests measure blood sugar levels with a simple procedure, but the results can differentiate between normal, pre-diabetes, and type 1 or type 2 diabetes. There may also be other signs and symptoms present that are indicative of a blood sugar level being too low or too high.

Most of the time a blood sugar level is drawn randomly, unless the primary care provider has specifically requested a patient to fast before having the test done. A random test does not take into consideration the last time a person ate a meal or a snack. According to the Mayo Clinic, a normal random reading should be less than 100 mg/dL; pre-diabetes is suggested if the level is greater than 100 mg/dL but less than 199 mg/dL. A level above 200 mg/dL or higher is indicative of either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. A fasting blood sugar level is drawn after an eight hour period with no food or beverages with sugar or calories. This test is usually drawn first thing in the morning, and is considered normal if the level is below 70 mg/dL.

If diabetes is suspected after preliminary tests, then a 2-hour glucose tolerance test is ordered. Fasting is also required for this test to get accurate results. Patients first drink a sugary liquid and then have their blood drawn two hours later. A normal reading is less than 140 mg/dL, pre-diabetes is suggested if level is between 140-199 mg/dL, and type 1 or type 2 if level is 200 mg/dL or higher. The glycated hemoglobin or hemoglobin A1C test is used not to diagnose diabetes, but to manage ongoing treatment. It measures the average blood sugar level for the previous three month period, and indicates how well diabetes has been managed during that time.

It is recommended that everyone have their blood sugar level checked from time to time to make sure that glucose is within the normal range. Low and high blood sugar levels are usually accompanied by symptoms that are related to how low or high glucose is in the bloodstream. Once diabetes is diagnosed, patients are instructed to check their blood sugar levels often for proper management of their disease, cut out refined sugar from the diet, get adequate exercise on a regular basis, and follow their prescribed plan of care for the best results.

_{This page was last updated on Tuesday, November 28, 2006}