June 7, 2002
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Texas, USA:
At his doctor’s request, my friend is checking his blood levels two hours after he eats to see if he might have type 2 diabetes. He is to log his number, and if it’s higher than normal, write down what he ate for that meal, but he’s not sure what more than normal is. He thinks they told him 70-130 mg/dl [3.9-7.2 mmol/L], and his values are 75-120 mg/dl [4.2-6.7 mmol/L]. Does that mean that he does not have type 2 diabetes?
Answer:
Two hour postprandial blood sugar levels of 75-120 mg/dl [4.2-6.7 mmol/L] might be normal, even when measured with a meter which is not accurate enough to diagnose diabetes. Your friend should ask his doctor for a lab determination of a fasting blood sugar and an urinalysis to definitively rule out the diagnosis of abnormalities in glucose metabolism.
MS
