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A blood glucose test measures the amount of a sugar, called glucose, in a sample of your blood.
Glucose is a major source of energy for most cells of the body, including those in the brain. The carbohydrates you eat eventually end up as glucose in the blood.
See also:
Alternative NamesRandom blood sugar; Blood sugar level; Fasting blood sugar
How the test is performedBlood is typically drawn from a vein, usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. The site is cleaned with germ-killing medicine (antiseptic). The health care provider wraps an elastic band around the upper arm to apply pressure to the area and make the vein swell with blood.
Next, the health care provider gently inserts a needle into the vein. The blood collects into an airtight vial or tube attached to the needle. The elastic band is removed from your arm.
Once the blood has been collected, the needle is removed, and the puncture site is covered to stop any bleeding.
In infants or young children, a sharp tool called a lancet may be used to puncture the skin and make it bleed. The blood collects into a small glass tube called a pipette, or onto a slide or test strip. A bandage may be placed over the area if there is any bleeding.
How to prepare for the testThe test may be done while you are fasting or at random.
If you are having a fasting glucose blood test, you should NOT eat or drink for 8 hours before the test.
A random glucose test can be done at any time of the day, but results depend on what you drink or eat before the test, as well as your activity.
How the test will feelWhen the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain, while others feel only a prick or stinging sensation. Afterward, there may be some throbbing.
Why the test is performedYour doctor may order this test if you have signs of Diabetes. However, other tests (glucose tolerance test and fasting blood glucose test) must be used to diagnose diabetes.
The blood glucose test is also used to monitor patients who have the diabetes. It may also be done if you have:
- A seizure for the first time
- Strange changes in behavior
- Fainting spells
Levels vary according to the laboratory, but in general up to 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) are considered normal for a fasting blood glucose test.
Persons with levels between 100 and 125 mg/dL have impaired fasting glucose, or prediabetes. These levels are considered to be risk factors for type 2 diabetes and its complications.
Diabetes is diagnosed in persons with fasting blood glucose levels that are 126 mg/dL or higher.
Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
What abnormal results meanGreater-than-normal blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) may be a sign of diabetes. In someone with diabetes, it may mean the diabetes is not well controlled.
Increased levels may also be due to:
- Acromegaly(very rare)
- Cushing syndrome (rare)
- Glucagonoma
- Impaired fasting glucose (also called "prediabetes")
- Hyperthyroidism
- Pancreatic cancer
- Pancreatitis
- Pheochromocytoma (very rare)
Lower-than-normal levels (hypoglycemia) may indicate:
- Hypopituitarism
- Hypothyroidism
- Insulinoma(very rare)
- Too little food
- Too much insulin or other diabetes medications
Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.
Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight but may include:
- Excessive bleeding
- Fainting or feeling light-headed
- Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
- Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
Many forms of severe stress (for example, trauma, stroke, heart attack, and surgery) can temporarily increase blood glucose levels.
Drugs that can increase glucose measurements include the following:
- Atypical antipsychotics, especially olanzapine and risperidone
- Corticosteroids
- Diazoxide
- Dextrose
- Diuretics
- Epinephrine
- Estrogens
- Glucagon
- Isoniazid
- Lithium
- Phenothiazines
- Phenytoin
- Salicylates (see aspirin overdose)
- Triamterene
- Tricyclic antidepressants
Drugs that can decrease glucose measurements include the following:
- Acetaminophen
- Alcohol
- Anabolic steroids
- Clofibrate
- Disopyramide
- Gemfibrozil
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
- Pentamidine
- Sulfonylurea medications (such as glipizide, glyburide, and glimepiride)
American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes -- 2009. Diabetes Care. 2009;32:S13-S61.
Inzucchi SE, Sherwin RS. Type 2 diabetes mellitus. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 248.
What else can I help you with?
What is the diagnostic test that determines the amount of glucose in the blood?
The diagnostic test used to determine the amount of glucose in the blood is called a blood glucose test. This test measures the concentration of glucose in a blood sample obtained through a finger prick or from a vein in the arm. It is commonly used to diagnose and monitor conditions such as diabetes and hypoglycemia.
How many tubes are drawn for a 3 hour glucose test?
Typically, three tubes of blood are drawn for a 3-hour glucose test. This test measures how your body processes glucose over a 3-hour period after you consume a high-sugar drink. The blood samples are drawn at different intervals to monitor your blood glucose levels.
How do you test for urine glucose?
Urine glucose can be tested using a urine dipstick test. This involves dipping a test strip into a urine sample and checking the color change that indicates the presence of glucose. However, it is important to note that a urine dipstick test is not as accurate as blood tests for measuring glucose levels.
What color tube for glucose tolerance test?
A gray tube is typically used for a glucose tolerance test. This tube contains sodium fluoride as an additive to preserve glucose levels in the blood sample.
What are method for measuring blood glucose?
Common methods for measuring blood glucose include using a glucose meter to test a drop of blood from a finger prick, continuous glucose monitoring systems that provide real-time glucose readings through a sensor inserted under the skin, and laboratory blood tests that measure glucose levels in a blood sample taken from a vein.
What is a glucose blood test for?
To test for the amount of sugars (glucose) in the blood.
What is a ancillary blood glucose test?
bedside blood glucose test
What is the Medical term for blood sugar test?
The medical term for a blood sugar test is "glucose test" or "blood glucose test." It measures the level of glucose in the blood to help diagnose and monitor conditions like diabetes. Common types of glucose tests include fasting blood glucose tests, oral glucose tolerance tests, and random blood glucose tests.
What companies manufacture blood glucose test strips?
Companies that manufacture blood glucose test strips are companies that specialize in manufacturing equipment for diabetes management. One touch manufactures blood glucose test strips.
What is the diagnostic test that determines the amount of glucose in the blood?
The diagnostic test used to determine the amount of glucose in the blood is called a blood glucose test. This test measures the concentration of glucose in a blood sample obtained through a finger prick or from a vein in the arm. It is commonly used to diagnose and monitor conditions such as diabetes and hypoglycemia.
When are blood glucose test and glucose tolerance test done durin pregnancy?
during the third triamester
What is the principle of blood glucose test?
Diabetes
Fbc blood test?
A fasting blood glucose test (FBC) measures the amount of glucose in your blood after you have not eaten for at least 8 hours. This test is commonly used to diagnose diabetes or monitor blood sugar levels in individuals with diabetes. High levels of glucose in the blood can indicate diabetes, while low levels can be a sign of hypoglycemia.
How is hypoglycemia diagnosed?
A common test to diagnose hypoglycemia is the extended oral glucose tolerance test.
How you can diagnosis diabete?
The two best diagnostic tools for discovering diabetes are blood glucose test and urinalysis. The blood glucose test measures the amount of glucose in the blood stream; the urinalysis measures ketones, a by-product of elevated glucose levels secreted from the kidneys.
What preparation is required prior to a glucose test?
Blood glucose tests require either whole blood, serum, or plasma collected by vein puncture or finger puncture. No special preparation is required for a casual blood glucose test.
Which blood test measures glucose levels 8 to 12 hours after eating and is used to screen for diabetes mellitus?
The glucose tolerance test (GTT) measures the amount of blood sugar levels after the administration of glucose.
