Diabetes Management Blood Test

Screening Recommendations

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that you should be tested if you are:¹

• Older than 45 years

• Overweight, younger than 45 years and have one or more additional risk factors, such as:
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • A family history of diabetes
  • African-American, Asian-American, Latino/Hispanic-American, Native American or of Pacific Islander descent
  • A history of gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or delivering a baby more than 9 pounds

Management & Prevention

If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes by your doctor, it is crucial to carefully monitor blood cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight as a first step in controlling the disease. People with diabetes are at increased risk of serious health complications, including premature death, vision loss, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and amputation of toes, feet, or legs.^2,3

Silent Symptoms

There are no symptoms for people with prediabetes, and diabetes may be severe before there are any warning signs. Likewise, people have no way of knowing they have high cholesterol, kidney or liver disease, or high blood pressure without being tested.³

References

1. "Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Monitoring of Diabetes." Www.heart.org, https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/diabetes/symptoms-diagnosis--monitoring-of-diabetes?s=q%253Dmonitoring%252520of%252520diabetes%2526sort%253Drelevancy.
2. New CDC Report: More than 100 Million Americans Have Diabetes or Prediabetes | CDC Online Newsroom | CDC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p0718-diabetes-report.html.Last reviewed: July 18, 2017.
3.  “Know Your Health Numbers.” American Heart Association, https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/diabetes/prevention--treatment-of-diabetes/know-your-health-numbers  Last reviewed August 2015.