05.10.2023
|
4 min. reading Glucose tolerance test: What is it and why do it?
Glucose tolerance test is done as prescribed by a doctor, including pregnant women. Moreover, they can appoint him even to those who, at first glance, have no problems. So why do egos?
Source: Shutterstock
What is a glucose tolerance test?
A glucose tolerance test, or a glucose load test, is a laboratory test for the concentration of glucose in the blood. Control of this indicator allows you to detect diabetes in the early stages, and this is very important for the stabilization of the patient's condition and his normal life in the future.
[subscribe_form id=»218860″]
Glucose enters our body with food rich in carbohydrates - sugar, bread, cereal products. After eating, its level in the blood increases, which stimulates the production of insulin in the pancreas: a hormone that "delivers" glucose to the cells of the body. In this case, the blood sugar level normalizes. However, with diabetes, the work of the pancreas fails, and the level of sugar in a person's blood remains high. And this is already dangerous.
Specialists recommend doing a glucose tolerance test to all people over the age of 40. But this is if the person does not have a predisposition to diabetes. If there have been cases of this disease in the family, it is necessary to check the level of sugar in the blood starting from the age of 30. Regularity — three checks per hour.
In addition, those who have specific symptoms such as dry mouth, thirst, frequent urination should undergo a glucose load test.
And why not a standard check for sugar?
A simple blood sugar test in the early stages may not detect the disease. The fact is that our body has a certain margin of safety. Thanks to him, the pancreas, in case of a problem that has already arisen, can still work at its maximum for a long time, eliminating disorders and maintaining a normal level of glucose. This phenomenon is called compensatory function. But this will not last forever, and sooner or later the body will fail.
Glucose tolerance test just helps and detects the problem in time.
Source: Shutterstock
Why is this test prescribed to pregnant women?
Glucose tolerance test is prescribed to pregnant women to detect gestational diabetes in time. This is a disease that is diagnosed only in expectant mothers. About 14% of women suffer from it. After pregnancy, gestational diabetes passes without a trace.
The increased blood sugar level in expectant mothers is explained by the fact that the pancreas now works not only on the mother's body, but also on the future child. That is, the amount of insulin in the blood of a pregnant woman increases. However, in some cases, the production of the hormone is insufficient, and accordingly, the sugar level in the blood of the expectant mother increases.
- Such a condition is dangerous for a pregnant woman, as it can cause:
- an increase in the body weight of the fetus, which complicates childbirth and often leads to birth injuries of the newborn;
- miscarriage;
- deviations in the child's development;
- diabetic fetopathy of the newborn.
At the same time, even if everything went well during pregnancy and childbirth, a child whose mother had gestational diabetes has a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
A glucose tolerance test is usually prescribed at the 14-16th week of pregnancy, since it is from this time that the sugar level can begin to rise. But there are exceptions - if an elevated level of sugar is detected in the blood of the expectant mother during a biochemical analysis. In this case, the test is carried out from the 12th week.
The doctor can also prescribe a control test - for 24-28 weeks.
After 32 weeks, the test is not carried out, as it can harm the child.
Most often, the test is prescribed to women who are in the risk group, but some doctors prescribe testing to all pregnant women - just in case.
Who is at risk? Pregnant women who:
- are overweight;
- there are relatives with diabetes in the family;
- there is a history of gestational diabetes;
- previous pregnancies ended in the birth of children with excess body weight (more than 4 kg);
- when sugar is detected in a urine test and an elevated ego level is detected in a blood test;
- with polycystic ovaries;
- at the age of more than 35 years;
- during the first pregnancy at the age of more than 30 years.
Source: Shutterstock
How is the test done?
The duration of the procedure is approximately 2 hours. Blood from a vein will have to be donated three times. The first time is on an empty stomach, the second time is after you take glucose, the third time is after 2 hours.
Glucose in the form of powder (75 g) is diluted in 400 ml of water, you need to drink it on an empty stomach within 10 minutes. You can add a little lemon juice, it will not affect the test results.
All the time of the test, it is necessary to stay in the medical institution, any physical activity is prohibited.
The results of the second and third blood tests are evaluated. The norm for the second is the sugar level not higher than 5,3 mmol/l, for the third — 8,6 mmol/l.
Source: Shutterstock
How to prepare for the test?
8 hours before taking the test, you cannot eat, you can only drink water. A few days before the test, it is necessary to limit the consumption of sweets.
Please tell your doctor about the medications you are currently taking - some of them may affect the test results.
Take a snack with you so that you can support yourself after the procedure.
What do the test numbers mean?
The results of the glucose tolerance test look like a graph in the form of a curve. It has two indicators: the concentration of glucose and insulin.
If the glucose level at the beginning and at the end of the test is the same, and in the middle of the graph, the high peak does not exceed the mark of 7,5 mmol/l, this is an excellent result, which shows that you do not have impaired carbohydrate metabolism.
If the curve shows that the glucose level is low in the first test, and higher in the last test, it means that the body secretes insulin in an insufficient amount for the complete processing of sugar.
If the glucose level is higher at the beginning, and lower at the end, it means that the body produces more insulin than necessary.
If the highest peak is higher than 9,5 mmol/l, this is already insulin resistance. Otherwise, this condition is called prediabetes.
If at any point of the graph the indicators are greater than 11,1 mmol/l, the patient has type 2 diabetes.
Depending on the test results, the doctor will either make sure that everything is fine with you, or, if the changes are minor, prescribe a corrective diet and suggest the necessary physical activity, or prescribe treatment.
It is important to understand that it is impossible to restore the functions of the pancreas to normal, but it is possible to stop the pathology at the stage at which you discovered it. That is why it is so important to undergo an examination on time and do a glucose tolerance test.
The opinion of the editors may not coincide with the opinion of the author of the article.
Use of photo: P.4, Article 21 of the ZU "On copyright and related rights - "Reproduction for the purpose of covering current events by means of photography or cinematography, public communication or communication of works seen or heard during such events, to the extent justified by the informational purpose."
Be the first to leave a review