Diagnosing Diabetes

American Diabetes Services understands that diagnosing diabetes early can help reduce the risk of diabetes related complications later down the road. As a leading provider for free diabetic testing supplies, we feel it's important to advise individuals about the American Diabetes Association recommendations for diagnosing diabetes.

In 1997, the international American Diabetes Association Committee studying the issue recommended lowering the numbers used for diagnosing diabetes for the most common tests employed to identify diabetics. The American Diabetes Association's hope is that physicians will diagnose patients who have diabetes earlier, when the chances for preventing long term complications through good diabetes management are greatest.

The American Diabetes Association now also recommends that all individuals age 45 and above be tested for diabetes, and if the test is normal, they should be re-tested every three years. Diabetes testing should be conducted at earlier ages and carried out more frequently in individuals who are any of the following:

• Are obese or overweight.
• Have a first degree relative with diabetes (mother, father or siblings).
• Are members of a high-risk ethnic population (African-American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian).
• Have delivered a baby weighing more than 9 pounds.
• Have had gestational diabetes.
• Are hypertensive.
• Have HDL cholesterol levels equal to or less than 35 mg/dl or triglyceride levels equal to or greater than 250 mg/dl.
• On previous diabetes testing, had impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose.

The American Diabetes Association recommendations for diagnosing diabetes state patients should be told they have diabetes if any of the criteria below applies:

• Fasting plasma glucose is above 126 mg/dl.
• Diabetes symptoms exist and casual plasma glucose is equal to or above 200 mg/dl.
• Plasma glucose is equal to or above 200 mg/dl during an oral glucose tolerance test.

If any of these test results occurs, diabetes testing should be repeated on a different day to confirm the diagnosis.

Ten Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you've been diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, there are some important questions you need to ask your doctor to ensure that you understand the best way to manage your diabetes. To make the process a little easier, American Diabetes Services, the leading provider for free diabetic testing supplies, offers these helpful hints on what to ask your doctor:

1. Can I manage my diabetes through exercise and diet alone?
2. How can I control my blood sugar level?
3. Will I need to inject insulin?
4. Will I need to take additional medication to manage my diabetes?
5. How often should I test my blood sugar levels?
6. What can I do to prevent complications related to diabetes?
7. What glucose meter do you recommend?
8. Can I use painless/alternate site testing?
9. What other lifestyle changes do I need to make to manage my diabetes?
10. How can my family help me manage my diabetes?

Of course there are more things you can ask. But these ten questions should at least get you started with creating an open conversation between you and your healthcare provider. Understanding diabetes is the first part to managing your disease.

American Diabetes Services helps thousands of diabetics manage their diabetes. We provide free diabetic testing supplies to diabetics who are eligible through Medicare or private insurance company. Let American Diabetes Services help you manage your diabetes, fill out our form to find out if you're eligible for free diabetic testing supplies.