What Does It Mean When Glucose Is High

What Can I Expect During A Blood Glucose Test

You can expect the following during a venous glucose test, or blood draw:

• Youll sit in a chair, and a phlebotomist will check your arms for an easily accessible vein. This is usually in the inner part of your arm on the other side of your elbow.
• Once theyve located a vein, theyll clean and disinfect the area.
• Theyll then insert a small needle into your vein to take a blood sample. This may feel like a small pinch.
• After they insert the needle, a small amount of blood will collect in a test tube.
• Once they have enough blood to test, theyll remove the needle and hold a cotton ball or gauze on the site to stop the bleeding.
• Finally, theyll place a bandage over the site, and youll be finished.

You can expect the following during a capillary blood glucose test :

• A healthcare provider will ask you which finger youd like them to use.
• Theyll disinfect your fingertip with an alcohol swab and prick it with a small needle called a lancet, which is usually contained within a small plastic device.
• Theyll squeeze your fingertip to form a drop of blood.
• Theyll place your finger/the drop of blood against a test strip thats inserted into a glucometer.
• After they have enough blood for the test, theyll give you a cotton ball or gauze to hold against your fingertip to stop the bleeding.
• The glucometer will show your blood glucose level within seconds.

What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of High Blood Sugar Levels

Signs of high blood sugar levels include:

• Peeing a lot: The kidneys respond by flushing out the extra glucose in urine. People with high blood sugar need to pee more often and in larger amounts.
• Drinking a lot: Someone losing so much fluid from peeing that often can get very thirsty.
• Losing weight even though your appetite has stayed the same: If there isnt enough insulin to help the body use glucose, the body breaks down muscle and stored fat instead in an attempt to provide fuel to hungry cells.
• Feeling tired: Because the body cant use glucose for energy properly, a person may feel unusually tired.

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Icipant Characteristics Anthropometrics Measurements And Demographics

Participant characteristics, including anthropometric and demographic data, are presented in . There were no significant differences between males and females in terms of age, BMI, anti-hypertensive medication use, education level, race, employment, or smoking status. The mean age was 70.8 ± 4.1 years and 70.6 ± 4.0 years for males and females, respectively. For BMI, the average participant was overweight, regardless of gender . Of the participants, 32.8% held a graduate or professional degree, 86.7% were White, 73.4% were retired, 98.4% were not current smokers, and 69.5% were married. There were statistically significant differences between males and females in terms of height , weight , income , and marital status .

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How Do I Prepare For The Plasma Glucose Level Test And How Are The Results Interpreted

To get an accurate plasma glucose level, you must have fasted for at least 8 hours prior to the test. When you report to the clinic or laboratory, a small sample of blood will be taken from a vein in your arm. According to the practice recommendations of the American Diabetes Association, the results of the blood test are interpreted as follows:

Fasting blood glucose level

• If your blood glucose level is 70 to 99* mg/dL . . .
• What it means: Your glucose level is within the normal range.

*Values between 50 and 70 are often seen in healthy people.

**The condition of prediabetes puts you at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and blood lipid disorders.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 02/21/2018.

References

Why Are High Post Meal Blood Glucose Levels Harmful

A study has shown that compared to fasting blood sugar, post prandial blood sugar level is a stronger risk factor and predictor of cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes. In people with type 1 diabetes, long-term high levels of blood sugar after a meal may result in earlier onset of renal dysfunction and faster deterioration of diabetic retinopathy. In people with type 2 diabetes, consistently high post prandial blood sugars increase the risk of cardiovascular complications.

Apart from these long-term complications, high blood sugar levels after meals may also have several undesirable short-term effects. These include slowing of brain function that causes decreased concentration, fogginess, alertness, low energy, depressed mood, etc.

It is thus important to take steps to manage our post-meal blood sugar levels.

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What Should A1c Be At 116 Mg / Dl

We help you interpret your blood sugar values. You have tested your blood sugar and the result was 116 mg/dl. The corresponding A1C is 5.7%. Lets have a look at the blood sugar gauge:

Whats the normal blood sugar level for a glucose test?

Random Glucose Test. Below 125 mg/dL = Normal. 126 199 mg/dL = Prediabetes. 200 and above = Diabetes. If the test result of a 116 mg/dL blood sugar level was from a Random Glucose Test, then the result would indicate it to be in the normal range.

What is the normal blood sugar level for prediabetes?

Below 125 mg/dL = Normal. 126 199 mg/dL = Prediabetes. 200 and above = Diabetes. If the test result of a 116 mg/dL blood sugar level was from a Random Glucose Test, then the result would indicate it to be in the normal range.

Causes Of High Blood Sugar

Common causes of high blood sugar in people with diabetes include:

• eating too much sugary or starchy food
• being less active than usual
• missing doses of diabetes medicine

You can also get high blood sugar if your diabetes medicine is not working well, you’re taking certain medicines or you recently had an operation.

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What Is The Normal Glucose Mmol L Level In A Csf

Normal levels of glucose in the CSF are greater than 50 mg/dL to 80 mg/dL, or 2.8 mmol/L to 4.4 mmol/L. If your levels are lower, you may have an infection. Your healthcare provider will look at your CSF glucose level along with the other CSF tests, and possibly other tests, to better understand what your results mean.

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High Blood Glucose: Diabetic Ketoacidosis

If your insulin level is too low, your blood glucose could become so high that it is unsafe. You might develop a serious problem called diabetic ketoacidosis . This usually happens in people with Type 1 diabetes and those with glucose levels over 500.

If you have DKA, chemicals called ketones start to make a lot of acid in your body. The acid and high blood glucose can make you very sick. You might also become dehydrated . You can prevent DKA by carefully giving yourself the correct insulin dose every day.

If you have any of the following symptoms of DKA, get to your local emergency department right away. You need to be treated with insulin and fluids that are given to you through an IV :

• Dry mouth, eyes or skin
• Feeling very weak or tired
• Fruity-smelling breath
• Stomach pain, nausea or vomiting

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Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic Nonketotic Syndrome : When Hyperglycemia Becomes Severe For People With Type 2 Diabetes

Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome is very rare, but you should be aware of it and know how to handle it if it occurs.

HHNS is when your blood glucose level goes way too highyou become extremely hyperglycemic. HHNS affects people with type 2 diabetes.

HHNS is most likely to occur when youre sick, and elderly people are most likely to develop it.

It starts when your blood glucose level starts to climb: when that happens, your body will try to get rid of all the excess glucose through frequent urination. That dehydrates your body, and youll become very thirsty.

Unfortunately, when youre sick, its sometimes more difficult to rehydrate your body. For example, it might be difficult to keep fluids down.

When you dont rehydrate your body, the blood glucose level continues to climb, and it can eventually go so high that it could send you into a coma.

To avoid hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome, you should keep close watch on your blood glucose level when youre sick .

Talk to your health care professional about having a sick-day plan to follow that will help you avoid HHNS.

You should also be able to quickly recognize the signs and symptoms of HHNS, which include:

• Extremely high blood glucose level

What Is Diabetic Ketoacidosis

When the body doesn’t have enough insulin, glucose stays in the blood and can’t get into the body’s cells to be used for energy. This can happen, for example, when someone skips doses of insulin or when the need for insulin suddenly increases and the doses are not adjusted.

When the body can’t use glucose for fuel, it starts to use fat. When this happens, chemicals called ketones are released into the blood. Some of these ketones, like extra glucose, pass out of the body through the urine.

High levels of ketones in the blood can be a problem because they cause the blood to become acidic. Too much acid in the blood throws off the body’s chemical balance and causes the symptoms listed below. In people with diabetes, this problem is called diabetic , or DKA. DKA is a very serious condition that can lead to coma or death if it’s not treated. The good news, though, is that it’s preventable and can be treated.

DKA happens more often in people with type 1 diabetes, but can sometimes also happen to those with type 2 diabetes.

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What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of Dka

The symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis usually don’t develop all at once they usually come on slowly over several hours. People who have DKA may:

• feel really tired
• feel really thirsty or pee way more than usual
• have a dry mouth and signs of dehydration

These symptoms are caused by the high blood sugar levels that usually happen before someone develops DKA. If the person doesn’t get treatment, these signs of DKA can happen:

• unconsciousness

What Happens During A Blood Glucose Test

A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out.

For some types of glucose blood tests, you will drink a sugary liquid and wait for an hour before your blood sample is taken:

• A glucose challenge test is used to test for gestational diabetes in pregnancy. If your blood glucose level is higher than normal, you may have gestational diabetes. Youâll need an oral glucose tolerance test to get a diagnosis.
• An oral glucose tolerance test is used to diagnose gestational diabetes, and type 2 diabetes and prediabetes in people who arenât pregnant. A blood sample will be taken before you have a sugary drink and then again, every hour for the next 2 or 3 hours.

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Youre Hungrier Than Usual But Losing Weight

Many people with uncontrolled high blood sugar find that theyre hungrier than usual, which signals a symptom called polyphagia, MedlinePlus notes. And although youre eating more, you may be losing weight for no apparent reason if your blood sugar levels are too high, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Since your body is not getting energy from the preferred source, glucose, it has to turn to muscle and fat, Zanini explains. When your body starts breaking down muscle and fat for energy, you experience unintentional and unhealthy weight loss. In addition to these changes in weight and appetite, you may notice weakness in your muscles and experience more frequent falls, Emanuele adds.

Levels In People With Diabetes

Measuring glucose levels after meals is important not just for diagnosis, but in the treatment of diabetes too. Results obtained during home testing can reveal whether you need an insulin shot to move excess sugar out of your blood and into cells.

Non-fasting sugar levels among adults with type 1 diabetes should be:

• Before meals: From 90 to 130 mg/dL
• After meals : Less than 180 mg/dL
• At bedtime: From 90 to 150 mg/dL

Non-fasting glucose levels among adults with type 2 diabetes should be:

• Before meals: From 70 to 130 mg/dL
• After meals : Less than 180 mg/dL
• At bedtime: From 90 to 150 mg/dL

It is possible to get a falsely high A1C result. This is most likely to happen in someone with low iron levels, kidney failure, or liver disease. Certain medications or vitamin supplements like vitamin E can also increase your A1C levels. Stress and poor sleep habits can also play a role in elevated A1C levels.

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Does Honey Speed Up Healing

Honey has anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It can be used as a wound dressing to promote rapid and improved healing. These effects are due to honeyâs anti-bacterial action, secondary to its high acidity, osmotic effect, anti-oxidant content and hydrogen peroxide content.

Is There Anything Else I Should Know About A Blood Glucose Test

If you have diabetes, you may need to do blood sugar testing at home every day to help manage your blood glucose levels. There are two ways to do this:

• Blood glucose meters require you to prick your finger with a small device called a lancet. You apply a drop of blood to a test strip and insert it into a small, electronic glucose meter, which measures the glucose is in your blood.
• Continuous glucose monitors use a tiny sensor that you insert under your skin. Every few minutes, the sensor measures glucose levels in fluids between your cells. If your glucose is too high or too low, you use a blood glucose meter to check your blood levels before making changes to raise or lower your glucose level.

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Avoiding High Blood Sugar And Dka

No matter how well they take care of themselves, people with diabetes will sometimes have high blood sugar levels. But the best way to avoid problems is to keep your blood sugar levels as close to your desired range as possible, which means following your diabetes management plan. Checking your blood sugar levels several times a day will let you know when your blood sugar level is high. Then you can treat it and help prevent DKA from happening.

High blood sugar levels dont always cause symptoms, and a person who isnt testing regularly might be having blood sugar levels high enough to damage the body without even realizing it. Doctors may use the HbA1c test to find out if someone has been having high blood sugar levels over time, even if the person has not had obvious symptoms.

Here are some other tips for avoiding high blood sugar levels and preventing DKA:

• Try to eat all your meals and snacks on time and not skip any.
• Take the right amount of insulin.
• Check your blood sugar levels regularly and your ketone levels when your diabetes management plan recommends it.
• Stick to your diabetes management plan.

Is Hyperglycaemia Serious

The aim of diabetes treatment is to keep blood sugar levels as near to normal as possible. But if you have diabetes, no matter how careful you are, youâre likely to experience hyperglycaemia at some point.

Itâs important to be able to recognise and treat hyperglycaemia, as it can lead to serious health problems if left untreated.

Occasional mild episodes arenât usually a cause for concern and can be treated quite easily or may return to normal on their own. However, hyperglycaemia can be potentially dangerous if blood sugar levels become very high or stay high for long periods.

Very high blood sugar levels can cause life-threatening complications, such as:

• diabetic ketoacidosis a condition caused by the body needing to break down fat as a source of energy, which can lead to a diabetic coma this tends to affect people with type 1 diabetes
• hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state severe dehydration caused by the body trying to get rid of excess sugar this tends to affect people with type 2 diabetes

Regularly having high blood sugar levels for long periods of time can result in permanent damage to parts of the body such as the eyes, nerves, kidneys and blood vessels.

If you experience hyperglycaemia regularly, speak to your doctor or diabetes care team. You may need to change your treatment or lifestyle to keep your blood sugar levels within a healthy range.

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High Blood Sugar Levels

If you have diabetes, you can find out if your blood sugar level is high by having a blood sugar test.

You may have regular tests by your care team or GP surgery, or you may have tests you can do at home.