Procedure - Diabetes

For the body’s organs (and especially the brain) to properly function, you need a healthy level of blood sugar, or glucose. Glucose is necessary because it provides energy to your body’s muscles, and provides fuel for your brain. When a person has diabetes, the body tries to process unhealthy levels of glucose in the blood. People can have two types of chronic diabetes, known as Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 usually develops in children or teens and involves low levels of glucose, while Type 2 can develop at any age and involves high levels of glucose.

While chronic diabetes is usually a life-long condition, there are also two types of diabetes that are circumstantial and can be reversed. The first is prediabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not as high as diabetes. The second is gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy and usually resolves after the baby is born. For patients in Utah, Ogden Clinic offers various tests to diagnose diabetes.

If you are concerned about your blood sugar levels, it is important to look for the following symptoms of diabetes:

• Persistent urination
• Increased hunger and thirst
• Extreme fatigue and irritability
• Reduced or blurry vision
• Cuts or sores that heal slowly
• Recurring infections

There are several risk factors that can lead to the development of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, as well as prediabetes. The most common factors the specialists at Ogden Clinic have seen include:

• Environmental factors and geography
• Weight
• Sedentary lifestyles
• Family history and age
• High blood pressure and/or cholesterol

When you make an appointment to see a specialist for your diabetes diagnosis at Ogden Clinic, there are several tests they may perform to confirm the disease.

Random Blood Sugar Test: This test will be performed at a random time in order to see how elevated your blood sugar levels are throughout the day.

Glycated Hemoglobin Test: This test will measure how much blood sugar is attached to hemoglobin, the protein found in your red blood cells.

Fasting Blood Sugar Test: During this test, a sample of blood will be taken following an overnight fast.

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test: For this test, you will have a blood sample taken after an overnight fast, but will then consume a sugary drink and have your blood tested again over a period of two hours.

Diabetes is a condition that is more easily managed with early diagnosis and treatment. For diabetes testing in Utah, contact Ogden Clinic and make an appointment.