Diagnostic Tests for Hypoglycemia
Diagnostic Test list for Hypoglycemia:
The list of diagnostic tests
mentioned in various sources as
used in the diagnosis of Hypoglycemia
includes:
- Blood tests
- Measurement of overnight fasting glucose and insulin levels on three occasions, if suspect insulinona
- Hospitalization for repeated blood sugar levels during a 72 hour fast, if overnight testing is inconclusive
- Plasma cortisol. If decreased consider Addison's disease
- Plasma growth hormone. If decreased consider Simmond's disease
- Thyroid function test
- Plasma proinsulin
- C-peptide measurement during an episode of hypoglycemia will identify people who are surreptitiously self-administering injecting insulin
- Plasma insulin
- Radiological investigations
- CT Scan of abdomen to detect insulinoma
- Blood glucose test
- Successful response to sugar
Home Diagnostic Testing
These home medical tests may be relevant to Hypoglycemia causes:
- High Cholesterol: Home Testing:
- High Blood Pressure: Home Testing
- Heart Health: Home Testing:
- Thyroid: Home Testing:
- Diet & Weight Loss: Home Testing:
- Adrenal Gland Health: Home Testing:
- Kidney Health: Home Testing:
- Diabetes: Related Home Testing:
Tests and diagnosis discussion for Hypoglycemia:
To diagnose hypoglycemia in people who do not have diabetes, the doctor
looks for the following three conditions:
- The patient complains of symptoms of hypoglycemia
- Blood glucose levels are measured while the person is experiencing
those symptoms and found to be 45 mg/dL or less in a woman or 55 mg/dL
or less in a man
- The symptoms are promptly relieved upon ingestion of sugar.
For many years, the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was used
to diagnose hypoglycemia. Experts now realize that the OGTT can actually
trigger hypoglycemic symptoms in people with no signs of the disorder. For
a more accurate diagnosis, experts now recommend that blood sugar be
tested at the same time a person is experiencing hypoglycemic symptoms.
The doctor will also check the patient for health conditions such as
diabetes, obtain a medication history, and assess the degree and severity
of the patient's symptoms. Laboratory tests to measure insulin production
and levels of C-peptide (a substance that the pancreas releases into the
bloodstream in equal amounts to insulin) may be performed.
(Source: excerpt from Hypoglycemia: NIDDK)
» Next page: Glossary
Rate This Website
What do you think about the features of this website?
Take our user survey and have your say:
Website User Survey
Medical Tools & Articles:
Next articles:
Tools & Services:
Medical Articles:
Forums & Message Boards
- Ask or answer a question at the Boards:
