Blood Glucose

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Test Overview
A blood glucose test measures the amount of a type of sugar, called glucose, in your blood. Glucose comes
from carbohydrate foods . It is the main source of energy used by the body. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body's
cells use the glucose. Insulin is produced in the pancreas and released into the blood when the amount of glucose in the
blood rises.
Normally, your blood glucose levels increase slightly after you eat. This increase causes your pancreas to release insulin so
that your blood glucose levels do not get too high. Blood glucose levels that remain high over time can damage your eyes,
kidneys, nerves, and blood vessels.
There are several different types of blood glucose tests.
Fasting blood sugar (FBS) measures blood glucose after you have not eaten for at least 8 hours. It is often the first
test done to check forprediabetes and diabetes .
2-hour postprandial blood sugar measures blood glucose exactly 2 hours after you start eating a meal. This is not
a test used to diagnose diabetes. This test is used to see if someone with diabetes is taking the right amount of
insulin with meals.
Random blood sugar (RBS) measures blood glucose regardless of when you last ate. Several random
measurements may be taken throughout the day. Random testing is useful because glucose levels in healthy people
do not vary widely throughout the day. Blood glucose levels that vary widely may mean a problem. This test is also
called a casual blood glucose test.
Oral glucose tolerance test is used to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes. An oral glucose tolerance test is a series
of blood glucose measurements taken after you drink a sweet liquid that contains glucose. This test is commonly
used to diagnose diabetes that occurs during pregnancy ( gestational diabetes ). Women who had high blood sugar
levels during pregnancy may have oral glucose tolerance tests after pregnancy.
Hemoglobin A1c, or glycohemoglobin, measures how much sugar (glucose) is stuck to red blood cells. This test
can be used to diagnose diabetes. It also shows how well your diabetes has been controlled in the past 2 to 3 months
and whether your diabetes medicine needs to be changed. The result of your A1c test can be used to estimate your
average blood sugar level. This is called your estimated average glucose, or eAG.
Why It Is Done
Blood glucose tests are done to:
Check for prediabetes and diabetes.
Monitor treatment of diabetes.
Check for diabetes that occurs during pregnancy (gestational diabetes).
Determine if an abnormally low blood sugar level ( hypoglycemia ) is present. A test to measure blood levels of
insulin and a protein called C-peptide may be done along with a blood glucose test to determine the cause of
hypoglycemia. To learn more, see the topic C-Peptide.
How It Is Done
The health professional taking a sample of your blood will:
Wrap an elastic band around your upper arm to stop the flow of blood. This makes the veins below the band larger
so it is easier to put a needle into the vein.
Clean the needle site with alcohol.
Put the needle into the vein. More than one needle stick may be needed.
Attach a tube to the needle to fill it with blood.
Remove the band from your arm when enough blood is collected.
Apply a gauze pad or cotton ball over the needle site as the needle is removed.
Apply pressure to the site and then a bandage.
Risks
There is very little risk of a problem from having blood drawn from a vein.
You may develop a small bruise at the puncture site. You can reduce the risk of bruising by keeping pressure on the
site for several minutes after the needle is withdrawn.
In rare cases, the vein may become inflamed after the blood sample is taken. This condition is called phlebitis and is
usually treated with a warm compress applied several times daily.
Continued bleeding can be a problem for people with bleeding disorders. Aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin), and other
blood-thinning medicines can also make bleeding more likely. If you have bleeding or clotting problems, or if you
take blood-thinning medicine, tell your health professional before your blood is drawn.
Results

Normal
A blood glucose test measures the amount of a type of sugar, called glucose, in your blood.
Results are often ready in 1 to 2 hours. Glucose levels in a blood sample taken from your vein (called a blood plasma
value) may differ a little from glucose levels checked with a finger stick.
The normal values listed here-called a reference range-are just a guide. These ranges vary from lab to lab, and your lab
may have a different range for what's normal. Your lab report should contain the range your lab uses. Also, your doctor
will evaluate your results based on your health and other factors. This means that a value that falls outside the normal
values listed here may still be normal for you or your lab.
Blood glucose

Fasting blood Less than or equal to 100 milligrams per deciliter

glucose: footnote1 ( mg/dL ) (5.6 millimoles per liter, or mmol/L ).
2 hours after eating Less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) for people age 50
(postprandial): footnote2 and younger; less than 150 mg/dL (8.3 mmol/L) for
people ages 50-60; less than 160 mg/dL (8.9 mmol/L)
for people age 60 and older.
Random (casual): footnote3 Levels vary depending on when and how much you ate
at your last meal. In general: 80-120 mg/dL (4.4-6.6
mmol/L) before meals or when waking up; 100-140
mg/dL (5.5-7.7 mmol/L) at bedtime.

Many conditions can change your blood glucose levels. Your doctor will discuss any significant abnormal results with you
in relation to your symptoms and past health.
For more information on results from an oral glucose tolerance test or hemoglobin A1c test, see:
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test.
Glycohemoglobin (HbA1c, A1c).
High values
You may have diabetes. To make a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, your doctor will use the American Diabetes Association's
criteria.
Other conditions that can cause high blood glucose levels include:
Severe stress.
Heart attack .
Stroke .
Cushing's syndrome .
Medicines such as corticosteroids .
Excess production of growth hormone ( acromegaly ).
Low values
A fasting glucose level below 40 mg/dL (2.2 mmol/L) in women or below 50 mg/dL (2.8 mmol/L) in men that is
accompanied by symptoms ofhypoglycemia may mean you have an insulinoma, a tumor that produces abnormally high
amounts of insulin.
Low glucose levels also may be caused by:
Addison's disease .
Decreased thyroid hormone levels ( hypothyroidism ).
A tumor in the pituitary gland .
Liver disease, such as cirrhosis .
Kidney failure.
Malnutrition or an eating disorder, such as anorexia .
Medicines used to treat diabetes.
What Affects the Test
Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:
Eating or drinking less than 8 hours before a fasting blood test or less than 2 hours before a 2-hour postprandial test.
Drinking alcohol on the day of the test or several days before the test.
Illness or emotional stress, smoking, and caffeine.
Taking a medicine. Make sure that your doctor knows about any medicines you take and how often you take them.