Diabetes testing at your IPSA Medical clinic
Diabetes is a condition that causes too much glucose (sugar) in the blood. Sometimes people experience complications with rare types of diabetes, but there are two main conditions: Type 1 and Type 2. These are different, but they are equally serious.
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction in which the body is left with an insufficient amount of insulin.
Type 2 diabetes is typically dependant on several factors, including family history, obesity and bad diet.
The diabetes test is useful if you have a family history of diabetes or if you have recently begun to notice symptoms associated with diabetes.
These include:
• increased thirst
• tiredness
• passing urine more frequently
• recurrent infections or weight loss/gain
Other risk factors include:
• history of heart disease
• history of diabetes
• impaired glucose tolerance
• high blood pressure
• Physical inactivity
For adults who possess any of these risk factors, are overweight/obese and aged 45+, a test is recommended every 3 years.
Those of African descent, or who are Hispanic, Native American, or Asian, are typically more at risk to diabetes.
The diabetes test involves taking a fasting blood sample from your arm and if your result is then above the accepted normal range, your IPSA Medical specialist might offer a definitive test be carried out (the glucose tolerance test). If your IPSA Medical doctor’s clinical suspicion is that you have a high risk of having diabetes, your IPSA Medical clinician will carry out a glucose tolerance test, as this is the best method for confirming whether (or not) you are diabetic.
Keeping blood sugar and blood pressure under control will give you an immense lead in evading developing complications. This means going to your doctor and being aware of how to look after yourself between appointments.
If you have any further queries with regard to diabetes please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to provide the highest quality service to all of our patients, no matter what their individual situation.
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