Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) test: This is an important blood test to determine the degree of control of diabetes. Hemoglobin is the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the tissues and also binds to sugar in the blood to form a substance called glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c . This test reflects average blood glucose levels over 6 to 12 weeks and is used in combination with a home glucose monitor for treatment adjustments. The ideal range for people with diabetes is typically less than 7%. The test can also be used to diagnose diabetes when HbA1c levels are equal to or higher than 6.5%.
Glucose monitoring or measurement: A method of detecting the amount of sugar in the blood. Home blood glucose monitoring involves pricking your finger with a blood collector, adding a drop of blood to a test strip, and inserting that test strip into a blood glucose meter that displays your blood glucose level, or you can have your blood glucose measured in a laboratory. For people with type 1 diabetes, it is recommended that blood glucose be measured 3 or 4 times a day. Depending on the situation, blood glucose measurements are recommended before meals, two hours after meals, at bedtime, in the middle of the night, and before and after exercise.
Home blood glucose monitoring: A method that can be used to measure the amount of sugar in the blood, also known as “blood glucose self-monitoring. Home blood glucose monitoring tests whole blood (plasma and blood cell components), so the results may differ from laboratory values, which measure glucose in the plasma. Often, laboratory glucose values may be higher than those measured at home with a glucose monitor.
Fasting blood glucose test (FPG): The preferred method for screening for diabetes, FPG measures blood glucose levels on an empty stomach or after at least 8 hours without food. Normal fasting blood glucose is less than 100 mg/dl. Fasting blood glucose above 100 mg/dl and below 126 mg/dl means that fasting blood glucose levels are impaired, but diabetes may not be present. Diabetes can be diagnosed when fasting blood glucose is higher than 126mg/dl and blood tests confirm abnormal results. These tests can be repeated on a subsequent day, or the blood glucose can be measured 2 hours after a meal, and the measurement should show an elevated blood glucose of more than 200 mg/dl.
Glucose tolerance test: A test to determine if you have diabetes. The test is performed in the morning (before eating) in the office. Fasting for at least 8 hours is recommended before the test is performed. First, a blood sample is taken in the fasting state. Then, a sugary liquid is drunk and a second blood test is performed 2 hours later. Fasting blood glucose equal to or greater than 126mg/dl is considered diabetes. Fasting blood glucose between 100mg/dl and 125mg/dl is classified as impaired fasting glucose. A person is considered to have diabetes if a 2-hour test result shows a blood glucose equal to or greater than 200 mg/dl. 2-hour blood glucose between 140 mg/dl and 199 mg/dl is categorized as impaired glucose tolerance.
Puncture needle: A thin, sharp needle used to puncture the skin and used in blood glucose monitoring.
Urinalysis: Checking for ketone bodies in the urine. If you have type 1 diabetes, are pregnant and have diabetes, or have gestational diabetes, your doctor may order a urine test to detect ketone bodies. This is a simple test that can be done at home using test strips.
Proteinuria: When the kidneys are damaged, they start leaking protein into the urine. Albumin is a small but abundant protein in the blood that is more easily filtered through the kidneys into the urine than other proteins. About 30% to 45% of people who have had type 1 diabetes for at least 10 years have proteinuria. In people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, the kidneys may already show signs of a small amount of protein overflow, called “microalbuminuria,” either because of diabetes or because of other conditions associated with diabetes, such as high blood pressure. Proteinuria increases the risk of end-stage renal disease. This also means a particularly high risk of cardiovascular disease.
Blood urea nitrogen (BUN): A metabolite that is excreted in the urine. It is measured in the blood as an indirect measure of kidney function. Elevated levels of BUN in the blood may indicate early kidney damage, which means that the kidneys are not excreting BUN efficiently.
Autoantibody test: This blood test, called the zinc transporter protein 8 autoantibody (ZnT8Ab) test, is used along with other information and test results to determine if you have type 1 diabetes rather than another type of diabetes.
Insulin resistance syndrome or metabolic syndrome: is a set of medical conditions that can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Diagnosis is important because it can improve health and, in turn, reduce risk. Insulin resistance syndrome or metabolic syndrome is diagnosed when 3 or more of the following conditions are present:
- Blood pressure equal to or higher than 130/85 mmHg.
- Fasting blood glucose (glucose) equal to or greater than 100 mg/dl.
- Large waist circumference (106cm or greater for men; 88.9cm or greater for women).
- Low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (less than 40 mg/dl in men; less than 50 mg/dl in women).
- Triglycerides equal to or greater than 150mg/dl.