How to Test Whether Blood Sugar Levels Are Normal
Disease description:
I often drink milk tea and have a lot of phlegm in my throat. I'm worried my blood sugar level might be too high. How can I check if my blood sugar is normal?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Liu Feng
Checking whether blood glucose levels are normal mainly relies on precise measurements in medical laboratories. The normal range for fasting blood glucose is 3.9-6.1 millimoles per liter (mmol/L), and the blood glucose level two hours after a meal should be less than 7.8 mmol/L. The following are several common methods for blood glucose testing:
1. Venous blood glucose measurement: This is the most accurate method. It involves drawing venous blood to measure fasting glucose (after fasting for more than 8 hours) and 2-hour post-meal glucose (starting the timer from the first bite of food). The normal range is fasting blood glucose of 3.9-6.1 mmol/L and 2-hour post-meal glucose of 4.4-7.8 mmol/L.
2. Self-monitoring of blood glucose via finger prick: Using a blood glucose meter to collect blood from the fingertip is convenient and quick, but attention must be paid to the accuracy of the meter and regular calibration. This method is suitable for daily monitoring of blood glucose but should not be used as a basis for diagnosing diabetes.
3. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) test: Performed via blood draw, this test reflects average blood glucose levels over the past 2-3 months and serves as an important indicator for evaluating blood glucose control.
4. Continuous glucose monitoring: Using technologies such as flash glucose monitoring, this method continuously tracks trends in blood glucose changes, but it is more costly and may have a certain degree of measurement deviation.
When testing blood glucose, an appropriate method should be selected according to the testing purpose, and comprehensive evaluation should be conducted in combination with normal blood glucose values.
