Diabetes in a nutshell
Usual lab
tests for diabetes
There are a wide variety of meters for testing blood glucose. Prices vary depending upon the type of meter and personal preference. Each meter uses test strips that are designed for the specific meter. Each meter may vary in the amount of blood needed and amount of time needed to receive test results.
In the United States, blood sugar is measured as milligrams per deciliter or mg/dl. In Canada, blood sugar is measured in millimoles. Some meters can be set for either measurement. Multiply millimoles by 18 for the number of mg/dl. Divide mg/dl by 18 for the number of mmol.
Hemoglobin A1c can determine the average amount of sugar the body has been exposed to over the past three months. The results are measured in a percentage. The usual lab reference range for a normal HgbA1c is from 4.4 - 6.4 percent. If the number is eight percent or above, diabetes complications may arise late on.
In addition to daily home blood sugar testing and the Hemoglobin A1c test, the cholesterol panel and microalbuminuria are standard tests to monitor diabetes. There is a definite link between heart disease and diabetes. Diabetes is a blood sugar problem but it also involves cholesterol problems. Ninety-seven percent of the people with diabetes have abnormal cholesterol levels. There are four parts or types of cholesterol in the cholesterol panel. The cholesterol panel should be checked at least once a year and more often if cholesterol-lowering medications are being used. The table below illustrates the four types:
|
Cholesterol type |
Description |
Goal |
|
Total Cholesterol |
Made up of the good and bad cholesterol and the triglycerides |
200 mg/dL or less |
|
HDL (High Density Lipid) Cholesterol |
Large fluffy particles of fat that clean out the cholesterol plaque in the blood vessels. The higher this cholesterol level is, the cleaner the blood vessels are usually. |
Women- 55 mg/dL or higher Men- 45 mg/dL or higher |
|
LDL (Low Density Lipid) Cholesterol |
Very small dense particles of fat that make up the plaque in the wall of blood vessels. |
100 mg/dL or less |
|
Triglycerides |
Comes from high blood sugar levels that turn into stored fat cells. |
150 mg/dL or less |
Because the kidneys can also be affected by diabetes, a specialized urine test called microalbuminuria should be tested at least annually to check for early kidney damage from diabetes. Your doctor may request a urine specimen from the early morning or a specimen of urine over 24 hours.
