How to Diagnose Diabetes
Diabetes is typically diagnosed through tests such as blood glucose measurement, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) assay.
1. Blood Glucose Measurement
Blood glucose measurement involves drawing venous blood and using the ortho-toluidine method to quantify plasma or serum glucose levels for diabetes diagnosis. Alternatively, capillary whole-blood glucose can be measured from a fingertip blood sample using the glucose oxidase method to assess current blood glucose status.
2. Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)
The OGTT is performed after an overnight fast, during which the patient ingests a standardized glucose solution. Blood glucose levels are then measured at 30 minutes, 1 hour, 90 minutes, and 2 hours post-ingestion. This test is considered the gold standard for diagnosing diabetes.
3. Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) Assay
HbA1c is measured from venous blood drawn from the antecubital fossa. In addition to aiding in diabetes diagnosis, HbA1c reflects average blood glucose levels over the preceding three months and is highly valuable for evaluating the effectiveness of diabetes management.