Diagnosing Type 1 & Type 2

Diagnosing Type 1 diabetes

Diabetes is diagnosed quite simply by measuring the levels of glucose in the blood. The normal fasting levels are between 3,3 mmol/l and 5,9 mmol/l.The World Health Organisation defines diabetes mellitus as a condition fulfilling one or more of the following criteria:

Fasting plasma glucose (plasma glucose measured before breakfast) is over 6.7 mmol/l on two separate occasions and/or
Random plasma glucose (blood glucose measured at any time) is over 10 mmol/l and /or
2 hour blood glucose during glucose tolerance test is over 10 mmol/l
Corresponding values for plasma glucose are 7.8 mml/L and 11.1 mmol/l

If a person first shows signs of diabetes by developing diabetic ketoacidosis, then the diagnosis may be more difficult since this must be distinguished from other causes of coma and decreased levels of consciousness. The presence of ketones in the blood is characteristic, as are certain other laboratory findings.

Diagnosing Type 2 diabetes

The World Health Organisation defines Type 2 diabetes as being when one or more of the following are present:

Fasting blood glucose (blood glucose measured before breakfast) is over 6.7 mmol/l on two separate occasions
Random blood glucose (blood glucose measured at any time) is over 10 mmol/l
Keywords diabetes, diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, diabetes, glucose, insulin 2 hour blood glucose during glucose tolerance test is over 10 mmol/l
Corresponding values for plasma glucose are 7.8 mml/l and 11.1 mmol/l
In some laboratories the glucose level is measured in plasma and not in blood and the concentration of glucose measured in plasma is 10% greater than that in whole blood

What is a glucose tolerance test?

After an overnight fast, 75 mg of glucose is taken in 250-300 ml of water. Blood samples are taken in the fasting state and two hours after the glucose has been taken it is used to diagnose glucose intolerance.

When is glucose tolerance impaired?

It is present when the fasting blood glucose is below 6.7 mmol/l and the 2 hour blood glucose value is between 6.7 and 10 mmol/l. Corresponding values for plasma glucose are 7.8 mml/l and 11.1 mmol/l.