7 lab tests that help to diagnose and monitor diabetes

Keeping an eye on your blood sugar level and keeping on top of it if it becomes diabetes is well covered by a selection of medical tests. These tips will provide the necessary advice for diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes.

• Fasting plasma glucose: Measures glucose in blood after an eight- to 10-hour fast. You have diabetes if your reading is 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) or higher in two different tests taken on two different days.
• Random plasma glucose: Measures glucose in blood at any time, including after eating. You have diabetes if your reading is 200 mg/dL (11.11 mmol/L) or higher and you have symptoms of diabetes
• Oral glucose tolerance: Following an eight-hour fast, measures blood glucose before and after you swallow a high-glucose solution. You have diabetes if your reading is 200 mg/dL (11.11 mmol/L) or higher two hours later.
• Creatinine: Indicates kidney function. Creatinine is a waste product that is normally removed from the body by the kidneys, but as kidney disease progresses, the level of creatinine in the blood increases.
• Cholesterol and triglycerides: Checks levels of three blood lipids, or fats. LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, can build up and harden on the walls of your arteries. Levels should be 100 mg/dL (2.59 mmol/L) or less. HDL, or "good" cholesterol, is a healthy fat that helps remove the LDL from your veins and arteries. HDL should be above 50 mg/dL (1.30 mmol/L) for women and 40 mg/dL (1.04 mmol/L) for men.
• Triglycerides are the circulating storage form of fat, which your body produces from excess glucose or fat. Too much can cause hardening of the arteries. Levels should be less than 150 mg/dL (1.69 mmol/L).
• A1C: Shows your average blood-sugar levels over the last three months. The test is usually performed every three to six months to give your doctor an idea of how well your diabetes treatment program is working. The blood can be drawn any time, regardless of what you've eaten. A normal A1C is between four and six percent.
• Microalbuminuria: This urine test, usually performed annually, shows how well your kidneys are functioning by measuring albumin, a protein whose presence indicates early stage kidney damage.

Finding out about your blood sugar level and testing for diabetes is very straightforward through simple available tests. These 7 lab tests will give you an accurate picture of the state of your health and help you work towards good health.