highlights
HbA1c test is the most accurate for diagnosing diabetes.
If you already have sugar then it is better to check your sugar with a glucometer at home.
Diabetes test: Apart from going to the laboratory and giving blood sample, blood sugar can also be tested at home using a glucometer. Another test to detect diabetes is HbA1c. Generally, doctors advise patients with symptoms of diabetes or blood sugar to get HbA1c test done, while diabetic patients are asked to take blood from a finger at home and test it with a glucometer. You might also be wondering why this is so? Do you know how many types of tests are done to check sugar and which is the best and most reliable test? Which test should a normal person undergo to check diabetes? Come Know the answers to all these questions in very simple language from Dr. Ambrish Mittal, the country’s top endocrinologist and Head of Endocrinology and Diabetes Division at Max Saket.
1. Question- How many types of tests are there to check sugar?
answer- Diabetes or sugar is tested in two ways. In one, blood sugar is measured directly. It is measured in two ways, on an empty stomach and two hours after breakfast. If diabetes is to be diagnosed, then this test is done two hours after taking 75 grams of glucose (Glucose tolerance test). In this, if a person’s blood sugar comes above 126 mg on an empty stomach and above 200 mg when tested two hours after taking glucose, then it is considered that he has diabetes. Blood sugar can be tested at home also.
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Along with this, there is another test for diabetes which is called Hba1c. This test tells the average sugar level in our blood during the last 3 months. Hba1c is a very useful test because it gives a complete average and the sugar taken on that particular day does not make any difference. If the result of Hba1c is above 6.5 then it is considered that the person has diabetes and if it is between 5.7 to 6.5 then he is considered to be pre-diabetes. This is also useful because from a single blood sample the blood sugar of the entire 3 months can be known. This test is done in the laboratory only.
2. Question- Many times the reports of blood sugar and Hba1c come separately? Why so?
answer- Often, be it blood sugar or HbA1c, the reports of both the tests match. However, there is no investigation in which there is no scope for error. Even in HbA1c, the report may be wrong in 10 to 15 percent of people. There may be a mistake in the lab, there may be a difference in hemoglobin, or there may be iron deficiency anemia or you are taking medicines for it or you may have thalassemia, all these can have a slight difference in Hba1c.
3. Question: Which of the two tests is best? Is the Hba1c report always correct?
answer- Both the tests are necessary but we should also know the shortcomings of both. Usually, when someone is diagnosed with diabetes, he is asked to check his blood sugar with a glucometer at home for monitoring. So that the increase and decrease of sugar can be known daily.
Whereas if someone wants to know whether he has diabetes or not, then HbA1c test is recommended. So that the average blood sugar of 3 months can be known. This test is more reliable and useful. However, diabetic patients are also asked to get HbA1c checked every 3 months.
4. Question- Where to get blood sugar tested at home or in the lab? which one is correct
answer- Sometimes there is a difference between the blood sugar we measure with a glucometer and the one we get tested in the laboratory. However, this difference has reduced considerably in the new glucometer. This also happens because when we measure sugar with a glucometer, we put a needle in the finger and take blood from there and then measure it, whereas in the lab, blood is taken from the vein of our arm. Capillary blood comes out from the finger and venous blood comes out from the vein, there may be a slight difference between the two, but if you want to get a diagnosis, then go to the laboratory and get it tested, it gives completely correct information, whereas if sugar is already there and only monitoring is done. If yes, then check your health with a glucometer at home.
5. Question- How many times should a person check sugar at home?
answer- How many times a person has to check his sugar at home depends on the severity of his disease, its symptoms, complications, age etc. Still, it is asked to be tested twice on an empty stomach and after breakfast.
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Tags: Diabetes, Health News, Lifestyle, Sugar, trending news
FIRST PUBLISHED: February 20, 2024, 20:33 IST