In this article, Niketrainers.com.co will tell you:
What is glucose?
Glucose is the basic energy compound for humans. It is essential for the functioning of all body cells.
Blood glucose is one of the basic tests. Find out what high and low sugar mean.
Regulation of blood glucose levels is the main goal of diabetes treatment. It is possible thanks to insulin therapy, pharmacotherapy, the use of an appropriate diet, daily physical activity, as well as regular check-ups. Maintaining proper blood sugar levels prevents serious complications: kidney damage,diabetic retinopathy, coma, and diabetic foot.
What are the indications for the examination?
Glucosetesting should be performed regularly by people who have an increased risk of developing diabetes (people who are obese or have diabetes in the family). The indications for this test are also symptoms indicating increased blood glucose levels (increased thirst, weakness, recurring infections, malaise, frequent large amounts of urine) or its decreased concentration (strong feeling of hunger, weakness, anxiety, increased heart rate, tremor, sleepiness, double vision). The test is performed on an empty stomach.
What are the contraindications for the study?
It is enough to collect a small amount of blood to determine the glucose concentration, therefore there are no contraindications for this test.
Causes of increased glucose levels
- diabetes– this is a disease involving insulin deficiency (type 1 diabetes) or tissue resistance to insulin (type 2 diabetes). Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas and it works by increasing the uptake of glucose by the muscles, liver, and fat tissue, thereby reducing blood glucose levels. Diabetes is diagnosed if the blood glucose concentration in a random test is greater than 200 mg / dL or fasting greater than 126 mg / dL (double determinations are required to confirm the result).
- pregnancy– during pregnancy, there may be a transient increase in glucose levels, as a result of hormonal changes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes). It is not a physiological phenomenon and may pose a risk to the fetus.
- overactivity of the thyroid gland– one of the actions of thyroid hormones is to increase the level of glucose in the blood
- pancreatic diseases– inflammation,neoplasms, cystic fibrosis – in the course of these diseases the production of insulin is impaired
- overactive or a tumor of the adrenal glands– adrenal hormones,adrenalineandcortisol, increase blood glucose levels
How to check blood glucose levels?
You can check your blood glucose in several ways. The basic examination is blood laboratory tests. You should come to the laboratory with a referral from a doctor, where the nurse will take a few milliliters of blood from a vein in the arm.This blood glucose test is done on an empty stomach.This means that you must not drink or eat for a minimum of eight hours prior to the test. The results are usually available the same day.
You can also check your glucose level with a blood glucose meter.This is the method of testing mainly people with diabetes (the device is provided free of charge at the diabetes clinic). All you need to do is prick your fingertip with a thin needle and place a drop of blood on a special strip with a sensor. Such a test is usually performed several times a day – on an empty stomach and after each meal.
A more advanced blood sugar test isthe oral glucose loading test. It is carried out in people who are suspected of having diabetes. It consists in determining the concentration of sugar on an empty stomach and 60 and 120 minutes after drinking approx. 300 ml of water mixed with 75 g of glucose.
The norm of glucose in the blood
The norm of fasting glucose in adults is 70-99 mg / dl, which is equivalent to 3.9-5.5 mmol / l. This value may increase after a meal, but should not exceed 180 mg / dL (10 mmol / L). For the oral glucose tolerance test, the blood sugar normal after 120 minutes is less than 140 mg / dL (7.8 mmol / L).
What does “high glucose level” mean?
In most cases, elevated glucose levels are caused by an unhealthy lifestyle– poor diet (rich in sugars and high-calorie products), lack of physical activity,chronic stress, and hence – overweight and obesity. In some people, high blood glucose is caused by impaired pancreatic function and insulin deficiency.
In people with diabetes,high glucose levels lead to serious complications. The most common among them are thediabetic foot, eye and kidney damage, and diabetic neuropathy.
Increased fasting blood glucose (hyperglycaemia) is an indication for a detailed diagnosis, as an abnormal result may indicate diabetes or pre-diabetes (i.e. an increased risk of developing the disease). The need to perform additional tests may require hospitalization and consultation with specialists, which can significantly burden the home budget. You can think about your safety and that of your loved ones in advance by purchasing hospital insurance . You will not only receive financial support, but also quick access to treatment and diagnostics. If necessary, they will also arrange medical transport from home to hospital and vice versa.
Low glucose levels
Low blood glucose (hypoglycemia) is most common in people who have diabetes. The cause of the abnormalities may be inadequate adjustment of the insulin dose to the physical effort taken or the meal consumed. Low blood glucose is a dangerous condition as it can lead to coma.
Causes of low glucose levels
- improper treatment of diabetes – insulin overdose, failure to eat a meal after administration of insulin,
- postprandial syndrome – this is a group of symptoms that occurs after stomach operations. One of these symptoms is the decreased level of glucose after eating a meal.
- insulin secreting tumor (rare)
- adrenal insufficiency
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