Understanding Diabetes: Types, Risk Factors & Testing

Diabetes is a condition characterized by high levels of glucose. The most common types of diabetes are Type I and Type II; gestational diabetes is another form of diabetes. There are three tests commonly used to test for diabetes.

Risk Factors

• Risk factors for diabetes include obesity, a family background of diabetes, high blood pressure, polycystic ovary syndrome, and a history of cardiovascular disease.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of diabetes can include increased thirst, increased urination, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, increased hunger, and blurred vision.

Fasting Plasma Glucose

• Fasting plasma glucose tests (FPG) are the most convenient and inexpensive test. It measures blood glucose in a person who has fasted for eight hours.

Oral Glucose Tolerance

• Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) measure blood glucose after fasting for eight hours and then drinking a beverage containing glucose.

Random Plasma Glucose

• Random plasma glucose tests measure blood glucose without fasting beforehand.

Process

• If test results indicate that a person has diabetes, the test should be repeated on a different day in order to confirm the diagnosis.