Tests Your Doctor May Recommend To Diagnose Diabetes

Diabetes can cause significant symptoms, however, early-stage diabetes may be asymptomatic in some people. Diabetes can cause weight gain, increased thirst, increased appetite, frequent urination, and vision problems. While these symptoms can also be signs of other medical conditions, you will need to see your healthcare provider for an examination. Here are some components that may be included in your diabetes workup when you visit your family care doctor.  

Blood Testing

Your family care doctor may order a blood test known as a hemoglobin A1C if you present with symptoms of diabetes. This blood test assesses your average or mean blood glucose levels over a period of a few months or so. It helps diagnose both pre-diabetes and diabetes.

If your hemoglobin A1C reveals pre-diabetes, your physician can talk to you about steps you can take to enhance your health so that you can lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future. Your doctor may also recommend a fasting blood sugar test. Unlike the A1C test where you do not need to fast, you will need to fast overnight before your fasting blood sugar test to ensure accurate results.

Urine Test

While a urine test may not be as reliable for detecting diabetes as blood tests are, they still provide valuable diagnostic information. During your office visit, you may be asked to submit a urine specimen to check for both glucose and ketones in your urine. The urine sample will then be tested with a special reagent strip and then the healthcare provider will compare the color of the reagent strip to the color that appears on the color chart of the container to determine your results.

Urinary glucose and ketones often show up in the urine when the blood glucose levels are high, however, your urine test may be completely normal if your diabetes is in its early stages or if your blood sugars are only mildly elevated. When the level of ketones in the urine is high, it often indicates poorly managed diabetes. It is important to note that certain medications such as aspirin and some antibiotics can cause false positive urine glucose tests so tell your healthcare provider which medications you take.

If you develop signs and symptoms of diabetes, see your family care doctor for an examination. When diabetes is diagnosed and treated while still in its early stages, complications such as poor kidney function, cardiovascular disease, and vision loss may be less likely to develop.