When To See A Healthcare Provider
Getting professional medical advice from a healthcare provider like an endocrinologist is the best way to learn more about whether your blood sugar levels are where they should be. Not getting proper treatment for low or high blood sugar levels can be serious and lead to health complications, especially for those with diabetes. Diabetes complications include nerve damage, kidney disease, heart disease, or heart attacks.
If you see a healthcare provider about your blood sugar levels, be prepared to answer questions about risk factors like what you eat, how much you exercise, and about your family history. Some healthcare providers may want to take a blood sample to test your blood sugar levels. They may also order an A1C test, which is a blood test that measures blood sugar levels over several months. You may have to fast eight hours beforehand to get accurate test results, so its always a good idea to check before your appointment.
If your blood sugar level goes above 250 mg/dL, you should go to the ER for immediate medical attention, says Dr. Tarugu. Emergency rooms are equipped to handle high blood sugar levels and can administer treatments like insulin therapy and fluid or electrolyte replacement.
Tips To Follow To Take Fasting Blood Test
There are few things to remember if you are going for the fasting blood test for diabetes. These include:
- Keep drinking water to stay hydrated. Water does not affect the test results because it does not contain carbs that broke down into sugar. Therefore, it is acceptable if you are drinking water.
- It is essential to keep in mind the timings when you can eat or drink before the test. You are supposed to fast for at least 8 hours for a fasting blood test. If you have taken your last meal at 10:00 PM then you should go for the test at around 6:00 AM.
- You should not skip your regular medication for fasting glucose tests. You can take your medicines unless your doctor has told you to avoid them.
- Fasting is safe for pregnant women. Still, you can ask your doctor about fasting before the test and get proper advice to get your blood test done safely.
What If Your Morning Blood Sugar Level Is High
Due to certain hormonal changes, it is quite natural to have a relatively higher blood sugar levels in the morning. If you do not have diabetes, your body will produce enough insulin to bring your blood sugar back to normal again. It may not happen though if you have diabetes.
Your blood glucose levels may stay elevated because of insulin resistance, which refers to a condition in which your bodyâs fat cells and muscles fail to use insulin effectively. The condition also affects the function of your liver and changes the way it processes and releases sugar, especially at night.
The situation is different when you have type-2 diabetes because the liver starts releasing more glucose than is needed into your blood. It means that your hormones are causing your blood sugar to go up and your liver is also making things worse by releasing more sugar into your system. This leads to a spike in blood sugar levels that stay elevated unless you pay attention to your diet and exercise. You may also have to take medications to manage your blood sugar better.
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What Is The Normal Blood Sugar Level For Seniors
We, humans, get our energy from food. Our body converts food into a sugar called glucose with the help of insulin and supplies the necessary energy required to continue our daily activities.
Is it okay to have a random level of blood glucose? No! Definitely not!
Blood sugar has also got an optimum level. What is it then? Thus, this is our topic today. Here in this article, I will give you a brief idea about the normal blood sugar levels in our body. But my main focus will be on the geriatric or older adult citizens as altered blood glucose level or diabetes is the most prevalent amongst them. So, let dig into the topic quickly!
Table of Content
What To Do If You Broke Your Fast
If you break your fast, the results of your test may be inaccurate. You can call your doctor to see if the test can still be done.
Some tests may be still be analyzed knowing that youre not in a fasted state. Its important to be honest with the test administrator so they can interpret your results properly. Some types of tests may need to be rescheduled.
There are many conditions a doctor might want to test for using a fasting blood test. Just three of many examples include diabetes, high cholesterol, or low iron.
The following early symptoms may indicate you have one of these conditions:
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When Should A Person Measure Their Blood Sugar With This Test
Prediabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes often have no symptoms at first. A person may have the condition and not know it. Health care providers often order a fasting blood glucose test:
- As part of a standard annual physical exam to monitor a persons blood sugar over time.
- For pregnant women to make sure pregnancy hormones do not cause diabetes.
- If a person has symptoms of diabetes, a family history of diabetes, or risk factors for diabetes .
- When a persons previous blood sugar level is higher than normal.
What Does ‘fasting Blood Sugar’ Mean And What Does It Tell You
Dr. Siminerio answers: ‘What Does Fasting Blood Sugar Mean?’
— Question: What does fasting blood sugar mean and what does it tell you?
Answer: Fasting blood sugar is what it means — it’s fasting, you haven’t eaten, and usually in the diabetes world that means that you haven’t eaten for about eight hours before you have the test done.
Fasting blood sugar’s really very important particularly in diagnosing diabetes and oftentimes in therapeutic management, and it’s important because the system is clean of at least any sugar you’ve eaten prior to that test, because, when you’re measuring blood sugar levels, depending on what you eat that adds to that number. So if you want a clean, cleansed number, a ‘fasting’ is a very good barometer.
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How The Blood Sugar Levels Vary With Meals
Blood sugar levels rise following a meal and usually peak about one hour after eating. The rise in the blood sugar and the precise timing of its peaking depends on the food a person has eaten. Large meals often cause blood sugar levels to rise, and so do meals containing high-sugar carbohydrates such as white bread and sweet snacks.Normally, a rise in the blood sugar prompts the pancreas to release insulin, and the insulin lowers the blood sugar by breaking it down so that the body can use it for energy or store it for later use. However, people with diabetes may face the following problems:
- Patients with Type 1 Diabetes do not produce the right amount of insulin required because the body attacks the cells that produce insulin
- Patients with Type 2 Diabetes do not respond well to the insulin produced by the body, and later, may fail to produce enough insulin.
In both cases, the fasting blood sugar test shows elevated blood sugar levels.
Therefore, Fasting Blood Sugar Depends on 3 Factors:
- The contents of the last meal, i.e., dinner
- The size of the last meal
- The bodys ability to produce insulin and its ability to respond to the insulin it produces
How Is It Determined If The Dawn Phenomenon Or Somogyi Effect Is Causing The High Blood Sugar Levels
Your doctor will likely ask you to check your blood sugar levels between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. for several nights in a row. If your blood sugar is consistently low during this time, the Somogyi effect is suspected. If the blood sugar is normal during this time period, the dawn phenomenon is more likely to be the cause.
Some additional clues that the Somogyi effect may be the cause include nightmares, restless sleep and overnight sweating as these are all signs of low blood sugar levels.
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More About Blood Sugar Levels
Our body requires glucose to get energy which is gained from the food we have. If you think that our body uses all the consumed energy in one go then you are wrong. Because of insulin, this energy is stored, and then it is released according to the needs of the body. When you have your meal, your blood sugar level goes up. Generally, it starts getting high after at least 60 minutes of having food.
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What Do The Results Of The Blood Glucose Test Mean
Normal fasting blood glucose or blood sugar is between 70 and 100 milligrams per deciliter or mg/dL for people who do not have diabetes. The standard diagnosis of diabetes is made when two separate blood tests show that your fasting blood glucose level is greater than or equal to 126 mg/dL.
However, if you have normal fasting blood sugar, but you have risk factors for diabetes or symptoms of diabetes, your doctor may decide to do a glucose tolerance test to be sure that you do not have diabetes.
Some people have a normal fasting blood sugar reading, but their blood sugar rapidly rises as they eat. These people may have impaired glucose tolerance. If their blood sugar levels are high enough, they may be diagnosed with diabetes.
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What Are Abnormal Glucose Levels And Why Do They Matter
Why is it unhealthy for glucose levels to be too high or too low ?
Hyperglycemia refers to elevated blood glucose levels. This usually occurs because the body does not appropriately remove glucose from the blood this can happen due to many complex reasons. Elevated glucose levels can damage blood vessels and nerves over time this can then lead to problems in the eyes, kidneys, and heart, as well as numbness in the hands and feet. Very high levels can lead to coma and even death in some cases. People with fasting glucose levels higher than 100 mg/dl have impaired glucose tolerance and should speak with their healthcare provider.
Some people may think that to avoid all these issues, they should just keep their blood glucose levels as low as possible. If too high is bad, then low must be good, right? Not exactly. When glucose gets too low, its called hypoglycemia. The threshold for hypoglycemia is typically thought to be when glucose falls below 70 mg/dl. When this happens, the body may release epinephrine , the fight or flight hormone, which can lead to a fast heart rate, sweating, anxiety, blurry vision, and confusion, but also helps the body mobilize glucose into the blood. If blood glucose levels stay too low for too long, it can cause seizures, coma, and in very rare instances, death.
Symptoms Of Low Blood Sugar
In contrast, hypoglycemic refers to when your blood sugar is too low. Common symptoms include irregular or fast heartbeat, shakiness, anxiety, pale skin, fatigue, hunger, sweating, irritability, and tingling/numbness in cheek, lips, or tongue. As it gets worse, you may also experience confusion, blurred vision, seizures, and loss of consciousness.
If you have diabetes, low blood sugar can happen if youre not taking enough medicine. Hypoglycemia is less common in people who dont have diabetes but it can happen. Things like certain medicines, excessive alcohol drinking, critical illness, and hormone deficiency can cause low blood sugar in individuals without diabetes.
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Low Blood Sugar Levels
Blood sugar that is too low can cause symptoms such as:
- shaking and sweating
- headache
- tiredness
As with low blood sugar, high blood sugar may cause loss of consciousness or seizures if people leave them untreated. Persistent high levels can increase the risk of serious complications that doctors relate to diabetes, such as cardiovascular disease.
- Normal reading for nondiabetic person = 7099 mg/dl
- The recommendation for someone who is diabetic = 80130 mg/dl
Two hours after a meal
- Normal reading for nondiabetic person = Below 140 mg/dl
- The recommendation for someone who is diabetic = Below 180 mg/dl
HbA1c
- Normal reading for nondiabetic person = Below 5.7%
- The recommendation for someone who is diabetic = 7% or less
**My Med Memo The measurement mmol is the abbreviation for millimole.
Can We Drink Water Before Fasting Blood Sugar Test
Can we drink water before fasting blood sugar test? If youre asked to fast, you cant eat anything for 8 to 10 hours before the test. You should drink only water. If you are having an OGTT, you will need to adjust your diet for a few days before the test and fast for 8 hours just before the test.
Does drinking water affect blood sugar test? Its fine to drink water before a blood test, unless youre instructed otherwise by your doctor.
Can you drink water while fasting for blood tests? Why do I need to fast before my blood test? If your health care provider has told you to fast before a blood test, it means you should not eat or drink anything, except water, for several hours before your test. When you eat and drink normally, those foods and beverages are absorbed into your bloodstream.
What happens if you drink water before a fasting blood test? Nutrients in food and drinks go into your bloodstream and can change things measured by the tests, skewing your results. For instance, if you eat or drink before a fasting blood glucose test, your blood sugar probably will be higher than if you hadnt had anything.
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Fasting Blood Sugar Test Prep Procedure Results Interpretation
Fasting blood sugar test is a test used to determine the amount of sugar present in a blood sample after a person has fasted overnight. Fasting really means refraining from eating or drinking any food or liquids other than water for at least 8 hours. The fasting blood glucose test is used to detect diabetes.
Usually, a blood sample is taken in a lab or a hospital, in the morning before the person has his breakfast. The normal range for fasting blood glucose is between 70 to 100 mg/dl. Fasting glucose levels between 100 and 126 mg/dl indicate pre-diabetes, and the person is declared diabetic if the fasting blood glucose levels are 126mg/dl or higher.
Can I Drink Anything Besides Water During A Fast
No. Juice, coffee, soda, and other beverages can get in your bloodstream and affect your results. In addition, you should not:
- Chew gum
- Exercise
These activities can also affect your results.
But you can drink water. Its actually good to drink water before a blood test. It helps keep more fluid in your veins, which can make it easier to draw blood.
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What Is Blood Glucose
Blood glucose comes from food. When an individual eats, the food is broken down into sugar and sent to the blood. The insulin is what helps the sugar go into the cells. Once this happens, the sugar that has moved from the blood into the cells is used for energy or is stored.
Glucose is known as the bodys main energy source. Too much glucose in the blood, or if it is not absorbed properly, can create health issues both long and short term. To keep a healthy blood sugar level, it is important to:
- Eat healthily
- Check blood glucose levels
- Keep in contact with your healthcare provider
It is important to keep in contact with a healthcare professional, eat properly, check your blood glucose, and exercise regularly to keep a healthy blood sugar level.
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Cost And Health Insurance
While the price may vary depending on where the test is performed, the FPG test is not expensive. Most health insurance policies cover the FPG for routine examinations, monitoring, or for the purpose of diagnosing diabetes. You may be responsible for a co-pay or co-insurance fee. Call your insurance company to determine if you will have any out-of-pocket expenses for the test.
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Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic Nonketotic Syndrome : A Complication Of Severe Hyperglycemia In Type 2 Diabetes
In people with type 2 diabetes, extreme hyperglycemia can lead to a very rare but serious condition called hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome, or HHNS). HHNS is most likely to occur when you’re sick particularly if you aren’t able to drink enough fluids or keep fluids down. It happens most often in elderly people and, like ketoacidosis, can result in a coma.
What Is A Fasting Blood Sugar Test
A fasting blood glucose test, also known as a fasting plasma glucose test or fasting blood sugar test, is a method for measuring the amount of glucose in the blood after a period of fasting. Most commonly, fasting occurs overnight and the test is performed first thing in the morning.
There are two primary purposes of a fasting blood glucose test:
- To diagnose diabetes
- To understand how different factors affect your blood sugar throughout the day
A fasting blood glucose measurement can be taken by a healthcare professional by blood draw and sent to a lab, or as a fingerstick test performed at home. The two processes are testing the same thing, so they are often referred to in the same way. A healthcare professional may order a lab test to eliminate other variables that may come into play with a fingerstick test, such as substances on the hand or not using a large enough blood drop.
If your healthcare team suspects that you may have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, they may perform a fasting plasma glucose test or an A1C test. If you have already been diagnosed with diabetes, checking your fasting blood sugar level in the morning gives you a baseline blood sugar reading for your day. These tests can be performed at home as recommended by your healthcare team, using a blood glucose meter. However, the at-home blood glucose meter testing method is not intended for the diagnosis of diabetes.
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