A test used to find out how well a normal liver can absorb and store large amounts of the sugar glucose. The test is given either orally (through the mouth) or intravenously (injected directly into the blood stream).


From the BioTech Dictionary at http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/. For further information see the BioTech homenode.

The way to diagnose diabetes is sometimes a yucky one

Most GP's will at one stage check their patients blood glucose levels, either to rule out diabetes due to a clinical suspicion, or as part of a general check up, for instance for a life insurance.

If, after a fasting (for eight hours prior to the test nil to eat or drink) blood glucose test the result is ambivalent (i.e. between 6.1 - 6.9 mmol/L glucose concentration in venous blood) the patient will be send for the dreaded oral glucose tolerance test.

This is how it works: the patient appears fasted at the lab and a first sample will be taken. Then the patient needs to drink the most sickenly sweet stuff ever: 75 g glucose concentrated in a glass: that's worse than Vanilla Coke.

Shudder!

After two hours another bloodsample is taken: the sample is then analysed:

  • Blood glucose less than 7.8 mmol/L -> Not diabetic
  • Blood glucose 7.8 - 11.0 mmol/L -> Impaired glucose tolerance
  • Blood glucose >11.0 mmol/L -> Diabetic

    Tadaa! Easy as that. But they really should improve the taste of that stuff..

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