DIAGNOSING DIABETES

Your doctor will make the diagnosis of diabetes if either one of the following criteria are met:


1. In the presence of clearly elevated glucose levels with acute hyperglycaemic complications (ie. Diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar non-ketotic hyperglycaemic coma), no further tests are needed for diagnosis.


2. If you have typical symptoms of diabetes, then a single blood test confirming either one of the following will suffice:

• random blood glucose levels > 11.1 mmol/L,

• fasting blood glucose levels > 7.0 mmol/L or

• 2 hour post-challenge (the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test) glucose of
> 11.1 mmol/L


3. If you do not have the typical symptoms of diabetes, then you will need 2 blood tests on separate occasions both showing glucose levels beyond the ranges stated above.

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