How Diabetes Is Diagnosed
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Diabetes Prevention and Control Program
275 East Main Street
Frankfort, KY 40621
(502) 564-7996
How Diabetes Is Diagnosed
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes usually develop over a short period of time, although beta cell destruction can begin months, even years, earlier. Symptoms include increased thirst and urination, constant hunger, weight loss, blurred vision, and extreme fatigue. If not diagnosed and treated with insulin, a person can lapse into a life-threatening coma.
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop gradually and are not as noticeable as in type 1 diabetes. In fact, there may be no noticeable symptoms. However, symptoms could include:
- Feeling tired or ill
- Frequent urination (especially at night)
- Unusual thirst
- Increased hunger
- Weight loss
- Blurred vision
- Frequent infections
- Slow-healing wounds and sores
- Tingling/numbness in hands or feet
- Sexual Dysfunction
In 1997 the Expert Committee on the Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes published guidelines for the diagnosis of diabetes. The guidelines lowered the blood sugar values for diagnosis and recommended use of the fasting plasma glucose test to diagnose diabetes, a simpler and faster test than the commonly used oral glucose tolerance test.
Criteria for Diagnosis of Pre-Diabetes
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IFG* = FPG* 100 - 125 mg/dl
IGT* = 2 hour plasma glucose 140 - 199 mg/dl
*IFG = Impaired Fasting Glucose, FPG = Fasting Plasma Glucose, IGT = Impaired Glucose Tolerance |
Criteria for Diagnosis of Diabetes
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Fasting plasma glucose* 126 mg/dl or higher
or
Casual plasma glucose* 200 mg/dl or higher
*Fasting is no intake of calories for at least 8 hours.
*Casual is any time of day without regard to time since last meal. |
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