Diabetes 101: Who should Get it tested ?
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Let me continue from the last post, where I said that it is easy to see Type 2 Diabetes walking into your life, I implied the life style and family history. Both are hard to miss phenomenon to give you early indications.
How do people know if they have diabetes?
People with diabetes frequently experience certain symptoms. These include:
- being very thirsty
- frequent urination
- weight loss
- increased hunger
- blurry vision
- irritability, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
- frequent skin, bladder or gum infections
- wounds that don't heal
- extreme unexplained fatigue
In some cases, there are no symptoms — this happens at times with type 2 diabetes. In this case, people can live for months, even years without knowing they have the disease. This form of diabetes comes on so gradually that symptoms may not even be recognized.
Now, based on symptoms, if you suspect you have a diabetes, let us see if you need to get tested. Yet again I insist, it is supposed to be in consultation with your family doctor or treating physician. Be aware and talk to him.
Who should Get Tested ?
Let me quote the American Diabetes Association (ADA) here:
- ADA recommends that everyone aged 45 and over should be tested for diabetes, and if the results are normal, re-tested every three years.
- Testing should be conducted at earlier ages and carried out more frequently in individuals who have any of the following diabetes risk factors:
- You have a parent or sibling with diabetes You are overweight (BMI higher than 25).
- You are a member of a high-risk ethnic population (On a global scale: African American, Latino, Native American, South Asian or Pacific Islander).
- You had gestational diabetes or a baby weighing over 9 pounds.
- Your HDL cholesterol levels are 35 mg/dl or less, and/or your triglyceride level is 250 mg/dl or above.
- You have high blood pressure You have polycystic ovarian syndrome On previous testing, had impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting tolerance.
What tests are used for diagnosis?
These two major tests are preferred course of action:
Casual or Random Glucose - This blood test can be taken anytime during the day, without fasting. A glucose level of 200 mg/dl and above may suggest diabetes.
If any of these test results occurs, testing should be repeated on a different day to confirm the diagnosis. If a casual plasma glucose equal to 200 mg/dl or above is detected, the confirming test used should be a fasting plasma glucose or an oral glucose tolerance test.
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