Diabetes is a serious condition. But, if it's quickly identified and closely managed, you can not only live with it, you can thrive. At Banner Health, we offer a variety of blood sugar screenings to help you manage your diabetes – and sometimes even prevent it.
Talk with your physician about blood glucose testing. The U.S. Preventive Task Force recommends that “[a]dults aged 40 to 70 who are overweight or obese should be screened for abnormal blood glucose” as part of an overall cardiovascular risk assessment.
No matter what your age, talk to your doctor about diabetes testing if you experience its most common symptoms:
Doctors often use the following blood tests to diagnose diabetes:
These tests measure the level of sugar in your blood. Usually, you can’t eat or drink anything except water for 8 hours before your test.
These tests help diagnose diabetes and monitor how well you manage your diabetes. They measure your average blood sugar level during the past 3 months. You usually don’t have to change what you eat or drink before this test.
These tests show how well your body breaks down sugar and converts it to energy. You give a blood sample, drink a special sugar-filled liquid, and then give more blood samples every 30 to 60 minutes. The test can take up to 3 hours.