Diabetes can often be detected by carrying out a urine test, which finds out whether excess glucose is present.
If you are worried that you may have some of the above symptoms, you are recommended to talk to your Doctor.
Before tests are conducted, a diagnosis may be suspected when patients report certain symptoms. Doctors will evaluate these symptoms by asking questions about the patient’s medical history.
It’s recommended diabetes testing for anyone overweight at the age of 45 years and over, alongside anyone under the age of 45 with one or more of the following risk factors:
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
High cholesterol
History of diabetes in the family
African-American, Asian-American, Latino/Hispanic-American, Native American or Pacific Islander background
History of gestational diabetes (Diabetes during pregnancy) or delivering a baby over 9 lbs.
Blood tests for diabetes diagnosis
Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels - a blood test after 8 hours of no eating
Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) - to measure a marker of the average blood glucose level over the past 2-3 months
Oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) - a test used less frequently that measures levels before and 2 hours after consuming a sweet drink (concentrated glucose solution).
The HbA1c is the preferred blood test for diagnosis because - while it is more expensive than the FPG test.
Urine tests for diabetes diagnosis
Urine tests for diabetes diagnosis Urine tests are no longer used to make a diagnosis of diabetes, although they were once common. Blood tests are used instead because urine tests are not sensitive or specific enough and offer only a crude indication of high blood sugar levels.2,8
