Blog > Diabetes Tests > Importance of Tests for Diabetes

Importance of Tests for Diabetes

Author

Varun Agarwal

Updated on 31 Mar, 2023
Tests for Diabetes

Diabetes, or a blood sugar level increase, is said to be the most common ailment in the world today. Affecting huge numbers at a very young age, the so-called disease has taken the form of a pandemic. And this pandemic is spreading fast. Every other person suffers from a variation in blood sugar levels and is either at a pre-diabetic or diabetic stage. Young children have been found to be suffering from this disease which can be caused due to environmental or lifestyle factors or can be hereditary. It thus becomes essential to get oneself tested by opting for the hba1c test to check the sugar level in the blood. It will give a clear picture of your status on the measurement scale of sugar level in the blood. 

The test for diabetes or checking the sugar level is considered a vital step in knowing and controlling the condition before it reaches an alarming situation. As they say, prevention is way better than cure, so one must take the precautionary step of getting a test done to check the sugar level and accordingly manage the routine and diet to stay healthy. It is imperative to get the test done to be able to check how much glucose has attached itself to the haemoglobin or the red blood cells. Read on to understand the relevance of having a test for sugar level for you:

  • Diagnose and early treatment: Using a test for checking the level of glucose can help to diagnose a condition of diabetes and avail early treatment if required. Very often, people are unaware of using the testing technique. It becomes difficult to detect and diagnose their health condition in time. Hence, they have to rely on heavy medication to maintain balance in their body. Once a test has been conducted and the glucose level is estimated, the review is done after some time to find out the effectiveness of the body’s functioning. It helps to monitor and keep track of the body’s organ operations and even sometimes takes the support of supplements to enhance it.
  • No fasting: HbA1c has an added advantage in that no fasting is required for conducting this test. Since it is a diagnostic test, fasting is not necessary. It takes away the stress that one might undergo while keeping hungry and waiting for the test to be conducted. It also means that the sample can be obtained at any time of the day. One does not have to sacrifice one’s sleep over finding the right window to complete this test. It is feasible and easily manageable at any time of the day. 
  • Stability in a sample and low intra-individual variability: This test shows very low variability on intra-individual variability, which is even less than 1%. It means that the sample stays stable, and there is no change even if it is kept for a long duration. There is no variation in the sample status, and it shows very less variability in terms of the result of the sample test. 
  • No alteration due to acute factors: Another significant factor is that there is no alteration in the report for the test due to factors like stress or exercise. Even if one is under a lot of stress and workload, it does not affect the report, and the result is shown without any bias or variation. Similarly, if anyone has been exercising before the test, it does not show any variation in the test reports. 
  • Reflects long-term concentration of blood glucose: This diagnosis test reflects the long-term blood sugar concentration and does not take into account short-term variations. The concentration of glucose reflected is for a period of roughly eight to twelve weeks. It shows how much glucose has been concentrated since this period in the blood. If this falls within the standard range, then it is considered to be within acceptable limits, else there is a need for medication and treatment. In other words, the test indicates the glucose levels and helps to determine the need for medication and consultation by a doctor. 

Another test which can be conducted is fasting blood glucose test. Since insulin production is of utmost importance for maintaining a healthy balance in the body, it becomes essential to keep track and find out about the sugar level to know about it from time to time. This test is conducted at an interval of 2-3 months, so as to find out the absorption level of sugar in the blood. It is very important to check the fasting level of glucose in the body as it gives a definite picture of how much sugar is being absorbed by the body while living a normal life. 

Although the typical tests are indicative of the levels of glucose in the blood, the results vary with different conditions. If the test is conducted under fasting conditions, the results will vary under a normal glucose test level. In case the test is conducted after taking a meal, again, the level of glucose varies. However, in this test, nothing varies, and the test results remain stable irrespective of such changes. This test is more appropriate and accurate, given the results are stable and reliable. Thus, this test is suitable for getting results that help in diagnosing and studying the actual problem without the variations that can change the results in other similar tests. 

Since diabetes is the root cause of several other problems, conducting a test to diagnose it becomes essential, especially when it has transformed into a burgeoning problem in our country. A simple diabetes blood test will help you to know your body condition and status so that timely action is taken. It also helps to identify the exact status and get appropriate treatment and medication according to the state of the body. Whether the person is in a pre-diabetic or post-diabetic condition is made absolutely clear by conducting this test, as it reflects a long-term situation. So don’t wait any further. Go ahead and get the test done now!

Related articles

Doctors at Lotus Diagnostic Centre

Doctors at Lotus Diagnostic Centre

Lotus Diagnostic Centre has a team of 50+ medical experts practicing at our facilities. Our doctors range across 25+ specialities including gynaecology, general medicine, cardiology, pulmonology etc. They are truly the best in their field in Bangalore. Read more to...

Request a callback

Your health is our priority. Get in touch with us now!

Drop files here or
Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, jpeg, Max. file size: 2 GB.
    Consent