Diabetes

 How To Determine Whether You Have Diabetes, Prediabetes or Neither

Doctors can determine whether a patient has a normal metabolism, prediabetes or diabetes in one of three different ways - there are three possible tests:

The A1C test

- at least 6.5% means diabetes

- between 5.7% and 5.99% means prediabetes

- less than 5.7% means normal

The FPG (fasting plasma glucose) or FBS (fasting blood sugar) test

- at least 126 mg/dl means diabetes

- between 100 mg/dl and 125.99 mg/dl means prediabetes

- less than 100 mg/dl means normal

An abnormal reading following the FPG means the patient has impaired fasting glucose (IFG)

The OGTT (oral glucose tolerance test) 

- at least 200 mg/dl means diabetes

- between 140 and 199.9 mg/dl means prediabetes

- less than 140 mg/dl means normal

An abnormal reading following the OGTT means the patient has impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).