Diagnosis of Diabetes

Find Out if You Have Diabetes

There are 3 ways to know if you have diabetes:

If you have symptoms of diabetes and a plasma glucose level equal or greater than 200 mg/dl (11.1 mmol/l) in a sample taken at any time of day.

If the measurement of your blood glucose levels after an overnight fast (12 hours), which is called Fasting Blood Glucose Test shows a value equal or greater than 126 mg/dl (7.0 mmol/l). Normal fasting glucose levels range between 70-110 mg/dL.

If the measurement of the ability of your body to handle excess sugar properly after drinking a drink with glucose shows a 2-hour plasma glucose value equal or greater than 200 mg/dl (11.1 mmol/l).

In this test, know as the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test a blood sample is taken and you will be given a beverage containing 75 grams of glucose or 100 grams for pregnant women.

Then, your blood glucose levels will be tested again at 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours and, for pregnant women, 3 hours after drinking the beverage with glucose.

If you have diabetes, your blood glucose levels will be higher than normal after drinking the glucose beverage and they come down to normal levels much slower than in people without diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes

A woman has gestational diabetes when she has any two of the following values after the Glucose Tolerance Test:

A fasting glucose level higher than 105 mg/dl,
A 1-hour glucose level higher than 190 mg/dl,
A 2-hour glucose level higher than 165 mg/dl, or
A 3-hour glucose level higher than 145 mg/dl.

Impaired Fasting Glucose

A fasting glucose value equal to or greater than 110 and less than 126 mg/dl, means that you have impaired fasting glucose. This is considered a risk factor for developing diabetes in the future, but is not a positive diagnosis of diabetes.

Impaired Glucose Tolerance

Impaired glucose tolerance occurs when the 2-hour glucose are greater than or equal to 140 but less than 200 mg/dl.

Pre-diabetes

If you show impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance it is usually considered that you have pre-diabetes and this is a risk factor for developing diabetes in the future.