How To Read Blood Sugar Test Results

Getting The Most From Your Blood Test Results

There are quite a few more tests available, but the ones included here are among the most common.

To get accurate readings, be sure to follow your doctors instructions in preparing for tests. You may, for example, be asked not to eat and to drink only water for anywhere from a few hours to 12 hours beforehand.

Please follow these instructions, or your results may be skewed, requiring additional tests or even unnecessary medications.

If you dont understand something in your results, remember its okay to ask questions. Doctors are busy people, but you are entitled to the information. If your doctor cant provide it, ask the nurse or physicians assistant for help.

Knowing where you stand with these important parameters is essential for being proactive and owning your own health.We hope you find this guide handy and helpful the next time your doctor orders a blood panel.

Take good care.

Disclaimer: Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

Feb 23, 2021Originally Published: August 20, 2012

Fasting Plasma Glucose Test

A fasting plasma glucose test is taken after at least eight hours of fasting and is therefore usually taken in the morning.

The NICE guidelines regard a fasting plasma glucose result of 5.5 to 6.9 mmol/l as putting someone at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, particularly when accompanied by other risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

Why Should A Person Get The A1c Test

Testing can help health care professionals

• find prediabetes and counsel you about lifestyle changes to help you delay or prevent type 2 diabetes
• find type 2 diabetes
• work with you to monitor the disease and help make treatment decisions to prevent complications

If you have risk factors for prediabetes or diabetes, talk with your doctor about whether you should be tested.

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Hba1c Test For Diabetes Diagnosis

An HbA1c test does not directly measure the level of blood glucose, however, the result of the test is influenced by how high or low your blood glucose levels have tended to be over a period of 2 to 3 months.

Indications of diabetes or prediabetes are given under the following conditions:

• Normal: Below 42 mmol/mol
• Prediabetes: 42 to 47 mmol/mol
• Diabetes: 48 mmol/mol

There are two types of blood sugar levels that may be measured. The first is the blood glucose level we get from doing finger prick blood glucose tests. These give us a reading of how high our levels are at that very point in time.

The second is the HbA1c reading, which gives a good idea of our average control over a period of 2 to 3 months. The target blood glucose levels vary a little bit depending on your type of diabetes and between adults and children.

Where possible, try to achieve levels of between 4 and 7 mmol/L before meals and under 8.5 mmol/L after meals. The target level for HbA1c is under 48 mmol/mol .

Research has shown that high blood glucose levels over time can lead to organ and circulation damage.

Keeping blood glucose above 4 mmol/l for people on insulin or certain medications for type 2 diabetes is important to prevent hypos occurring, which can be dangerous.

Your doctor may give you different targets. Children, older people and those at particular risk of hypoglycemia may be given wider targets.

FREE blood glucose level chart

Ggt: Gama Globutamin Is An Immune Factor For Liver Cells

Normally, if liver function is good, GGT will be very low in the blood . When liver cells have to work excessively, the ability of liver to be toxic is reduced, the GGT will increase -> Reduce the resistance and immunity of liver cells. Easy to lead to hepatic cell failure. If people with SVB in the blood that GGT, SGOT & SGPT have increased, it is necessary to use liver cell supplements and absolutely do not drink alcohol or the risk of hepatitis B is very high.

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What Does The Test Result Mean

Screening and Diagnosis

High levels of glucose most frequently indicate diabetes, but many other diseases and conditions can also cause elevated blood glucose.

A random glucose level in a person with signs and symptoms of diabetes and hyperglycemia that is equal to or greater than 200 mg/dL indicates diabetes.

The following table summarizes the meaning of fasting glucose results.

How Often Should I Test My Blood Sugar Level

Your family doctor will recommend how often you should test. Testing times are based on the kind of medicine you take and on how well your blood sugar levels are controlled. Youll probably need to check your blood sugar more often at first. Youll also check it more often when you feel sick or stressed, when you change your medicine, or if youre pregnant.

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Bilirubin Albumin And Creatinine

In addition, the CMP often measures substances such as bilirubin, albumin, and creatinine.

Bilirubin forms when your body breaks down hemoglobin. Its found in bile and blood, and too much of it could indicate jaundice.

Albumin, the main protein in blood plasma, is the clear, yellowish fluid part of the blood that carries blood cells. Low levels of albumin can indicate malnutrition, inflammation, and liver and kidney diseases.

Creatinine is a chemical waste product of creatine, which supplies energy to muscles. Since it can help you crush your weightlifting goals, creatine is a popular supplement. But because your kidneys remove creatinine, elevated levels could signal poor kidney function.

Red Cell Distribution Width

With this test, we get an idea of the shape and size of red blood cells. In this case, width refers to a measurement of distribution, not the size of the cells. Liver disease, anemia, nutritional deficiencies, and a number of health conditions could cause high or low RDW results.

Normal range: 11% to 15%

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How Do I Pay For These Tests And Supplies

Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans pay for the A1C test and some of the cost of supplies for checking your blood sugar. Check your plan or ask your health care team for help finding low cost or free supplies. Ask your health care team what to do if you run out of test strips. For more information about Medicare and diabetes, go to .

Who Should Get Testing

Your doctor may include glucose testing in a panel of tests for background health information, such as during an annual examination. Your doctor may also want to screen you for elevated glucose if you are at a higher-than-average risk of diabetes. Risk factors for diabetes include:

• Being 45 years of age or older
• Being overweight or obese

• Sores that dont heal quickly
• Feeling very tired

Additionally, your doctor may order glucose testing if you have symptoms of low blood sugar or other health conditions.

Glucose testing is also an important part of managing prediabetes and diabetes after they are diagnosed.

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Avoiding Problems With Your Meter

Blood sugar meters need to be used and maintained properly. Follow these tips to ensure proper usage:

• Check the users guide for your device for instructions — procedures may vary from one device to another.
• Use a blood sample size as directed in the users guide.
• Use only test strips designed for your meter.
• Store test strips as directed.
• Don’t use expired test strips.
• Clean the device and run quality-control checks as directed.
• Bring the meter to your doctor’s appointments to address any questions and to show how you use your meter.

How To Reduce The Pain Of Blood Sugar Checks

Nobody gets excited about pricking their fingertip. In fact, studies have shown that it’s one of the main reasons people refrain from regularly checking their blood glucose.6,7 So how can you make this less of a hurdle in your self-care?

Select a less-painful lancing device

Naturally, one factor that can contribute to the pain is your lancing device. That’s why we’ve worked hard to ensure that Accu-Chek lancing devices keep discomfort to a minimum. For example, our lancing devices feature:

• Technology that minimizes side-to-side motion, so there’s less skin tearing
• 11 customizable depth settings to help match your skin type
• Precisely manufactured, beveled, thin-gauge lancets to ensure smoother entry

You can reduce pain by using a fresh lancet for every test. Today’s lancets are so tiny that just a single use can bend or dull the tips. This can make them hurt more as you reuse them.

5 tips for reducing fingertip pain

You can make testing more comfortable and help ensure that you get a good sample on the first try by following these 5 easy steps.

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Whats My Target Range

You might be asking, what’s the normal range for blood sugar levels? The answer is, there is a healthy range that you should ideally be aiming for. The infographics above show the general guidelines, but your individual target range for your blood sugar levels may be different. Youll healthcare team will agree with you what it is.

Youll get different readings at different times of the day, depending on things like what youve eaten and how much you are moving around. Heres a guide to help you get started on finding your target range:

If youre a child with Type 1 diabetes

• when you wake up and before meals: 4 to 7mmol/l
• after meals: 5 to 9mmol/l

If youre an adult with Type 1 diabetes

• when you wake up and before meals: 5 to 7mmol/l
• before meals at other times of the day: 4 to 7mmol/l

If you have Type 2 diabetes

• before meals: 4 to 7mmol/l
• two hours after meals: less than 8.5mmol/l

What Should I Do If My Blood Sugar Gets Too High

High blood sugar is also called hyperglycemia . It means that your blood sugar level is higher than your target level or over 180. Having high blood sugar levels over time can lead to long-term, serious health problems.

If you feel very tired, thirsty, have blurry vision, or need to pee more often, your blood sugar may be high.

Check your blood sugar and see if it is above your target level or over 180. If it is too high, one way to lower it is to drink a large glass of water and exercise by taking a brisk walk. Call your health care team if your blood sugar is high more than 3 times in 2 weeks and you dont know why.

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Gaining Insights From Routine Blood Glucose Testing

Day-to-day blood sugar checks can give you a good idea of how you’re doing at this moment, and they can be reviewed overall to see trends. They can help answer questions such as:

• Are your medications working as they should?
• How does the type or amount of food you eat affect your blood sugar?
• How does activity or stress affect your blood sugar?

How To Test Your Blood Sugar

To check your blood sugar level, gather your blood glucose meter, a test strip and your lancing device. See how to prepare the meter and test strip, lance your finger and get a reading using the Accu-Chek® Guide Me system by watching the video or following the steps here:

The steps are similar for many meters, and generally look like this:

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Fasting Blood Glucose Level

A glucose level below 11.1 mmol/L on a random blood sample does not rule out diabetes. A blood test taken in the morning before you eat anything is a more accurate test. Do not eat or drink anything except water for 8-10 hours before a fasting blood glucose test. A level of 7.0 mmol/L or more indicates that you have diabetes.

If you have no symptoms of diabetes but the blood test shows a glucose level of 7.0 mmol/L or more, the blood test must be repeated to confirm you have diabetes. If you do have symptoms and the blood test shows a glucose level of 7.0 mmol/L or more, the test does not need to be repeated. See the separate leaflets called Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes for more details.

Can Glucose Testing Be Done When I Have Not Fasted

You may have non-fasting glucose testing in certain situations:

• A blood sample collected after a fast of at least 8 hours is preferred when using a glucose test for screening and diagnosing diabetes. However, you may sometimes have your blood drawn for a routine metabolic panel that includes a glucose test when you have not fasted for 8 hours. In this case, if the glucose result is above the cutoff level, then additional testing, such as repeating the glucose test after fasting, may be required.
• If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you may be instructed to check your glucose levels after you have eaten as part of monitoring and controlling your glucose levels over time.

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Your Task: 21 Day Lower Blood Sugar Challenge

Commit to yourself and apply what we share because we know what we share can help you get results.

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References

When Should Testing Occur

A doctor might recommend testing at three different times, and often over the course of several days:

• Morning fasting reading: This provides information about blood glucose levels before a person eats or drinks anything. Taking blood glucose readings before eating provides a baseline number. This number offers clues about glucose processes during the day.
• Before a meal: Blood glucose before a meal tends to be low, so a high blood glucose reading at this time suggests difficulties managing blood sugar.
• After a meal: Post-meal testing gives a good idea about how the body reacts to food, and if sugar can reach the cells efficiently. Blood glucose readings after a meal can help diagnose gestational diabetes, which happens during pregnancy. Most doctors recommend testing about 2 hours after a meal.

The doctor will personalize the glucose monitoring schedule for the individual.

For people with diabetes, blood sugar readings should be as follows:

• Fasting : 80â130 milligrams per deciliter
• Before meals: 70â130 mg/dl
• Two hours after starting meals: Below 180 mg/dl
• At bedtime: Under 120 mg/dl
• HbA1c: 7.0 percent or lower

Before beginning home testing, it is important that people get clear, target figures from their doctor.

Target numbers may vary from person to person and may change over time, depending on an individualâs health, age, weight, and other factors.

For people who do not have diabetes, blood sugar levels should be within the following ranges:

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Understand What Affects Blood Glucose Levels

The different events and causes that make blood glucose levels go up and down are called variables. Pattern management can help you identify which variables may need adjustments.

Variables that can lead to rises and falls in blood glucose levels include:

• The type and amount of food eaten. It is particularly important to take note of foods and drinks that contain carbohydrates.
• The speed with which the body digests food and creates blood glucose.