New Tests Recommended to Diagnose Diabetes

New Tests Recommended to Diagnose Diabetes

A recent announcement by the American Diabetes Association has recommended a new test to help in the diagnosis of diabetes that will make it easier for both patients and doctors. The new recommendations are based on using the test – called the glycosylated hemoglobin or HbAic- to make the diagnosis. This test helps determine the average range of sugar in an individual’s system over the past 2 or 3 months. The advantage of this test is that the patient does not have to be fasting to take the test and get accurate results.

The ADA recommends using the following guidelines in diagnosing diabetes:

A HbA1C between 5.7 and 6.4: pre-diabetes or high risk to develop diabetes

A HbA1C greater the 6.5: diabetes

The use of this test to help in the diagnosis of diabetes should help more patients and their physicians diagnose the condition and treat patients before they develop any serious consequences from the disease. The earlier diabetes or the risk for diabetes is recognized, the more likely lifestyle changes can be made that can prevent the disease. At the very least, the lifestyle changes can actually PREVENT the side effects often found with diabetes.

It is well established over the past decades that keeping your HbA1C below 7.0 will greatly reduce your chance of developing any of the side effects from diabetes – such as heart disease, kidney disease or eye problems. Now using this same tool to find early diabetes will help patients learn to help themselves earlier and hopefully, more successfully.