Patient's question:
My dad has been feeling unwell recently. The urine he urinates feels sticky and thick. He also often feels that his waist is sore and his back is in pain, so the family suspects he might have diabetes. Now that he has some free time, he's taking him for a thorough examination. Is fasting required before the diabetes test?Doctor's answer:
First, if the patient wants to clarify how they have diabetes, they first need to have a fasting blood glucose test conducted carefully. If the blood sugar level is below 7.0, they also need to have a glycosylated hemoglobin test to further determine the patient's blood sugar control in the recent three months. Additionally, if the patient is undergoing an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), they must first have a blood test while fasting before proceeding to the next step of treatment.