The Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) test, conducted after an 8-hour fast, measures blood glucose levels, essential for diagnosing and monitoring diabetes and prediabetes. Diabetes results from consistently high blood sugar due to insufficient insulin or its improper utilisation. Prediabetes, or borderline diabetes, features blood sugar levels higher than normal but not yet diabetic. This test is also used to detect gestational diabetes, a condition caused by pregnancy hormones in expectant mothers.

The FBS test accurately measures the body’s regulation of blood glucose levels without recent food intake, aiding in the diagnosis and management of diabetes and impaired glucose metabolism.

People living in Noida should get the FBS test done as soon as possible if their doctor suspects diabetes. This will allow for prompt treatment planning. Plan an FBS test in Noida today to ensure timely attention and treatment.

Adherence to specified recommendations is necessary when preparing for an FBS test in order to guarantee reliable findings. They are listed below:

Prerequisites

It is essential to refrain from eating or drinking anything other than water for 8-12 hours prior to the FBS test. Fasting is important as food impacts sugar levels, allowing for a more accurate evaluation of blood sugar levels.

Best Time to Get Tested

The FBS test is usually scheduled in the morning before breakfast. This timing ensures that the individual has undergone fasting overnight, ensuring accurate test results.

Who Should Get an FBS Test

People with risk factors like obesity or a family history of diabetes or experiencing diabetes symptoms (such as increased thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, and increased hunger) should consider the FBS test. This test screens for diabetes and, together with the Postprandial Blood Sugar (PPBS) test, monitors treatment success in diabetes patients. It is also conducted during routine health checks to monitor blood glucose levels and to screen for gestational diabetes in pregnant women.

Cautions Before Taking the FBS Test

Informing your doctor about any medications you are on is crucial before having the FBS test. Certain medications can interfere with blood sugar levels, potentially impacting the test's accuracy.

An FBS test is recommended in the following instances:

• Symptom Assessment and Risk Factor Evaluation

If you experience diabetes symptoms such as increased thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, numbness or tingling in hands and feet, or sores that do not heal, your doctor might order an FBS test. The test may also be recommended if you have risk factors like being 45 or older, obesity, high blood pressure, a sedentary lifestyle, a history of stroke or heart disease, or a previous history of gestational diabetes.

• Routine Monitoring

The FBS test is often part of routine monitoring of blood glucose levels, included in annual physical check-ups to track changes in blood sugar over time.

• Monitoring of Prediabetes

An FBS test may be ordered for individuals with previously elevated glucose levels or prediabetes. Regular testing helps to assess if lifestyle changes are effectively improving prediabetes and preventing diabetes.

• Screening During Pregnancy

FBS testing is done between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy to screen for gestational diabetes as part of a Glucose Tolerance test, ensuring pregnancy hormones are not adversely affecting blood sugar levels.

• Monitoring in Individuals with Diabetes

For those with diabetes, regular FBS testing is essential to monitor blood sugar levels, assess treatment efficacy, and adjust doses of medication as needed.

• Diagnosing Conditions Other Than Diabetes That Cause Low Glucose Levels

The FBS test can identify conditions other than diabetes that result in hypoglycaemia, such as chronic kidney disease, hormonal imbalances (such as reduced hormone production by the pituitary and adrenal glands), and liver diseases (like viral hepatitis, liver cancer, and cirrhosis). Low glucose levels can also be caused by diabetes medications and prolonged fasting.

• Diagnosing Conditions Other Than Diabetes That Can Cause High Blood Glucose Levels

The FBS test is also useful for diagnosing non-diabetic conditions that elevate blood glucose levels, such as acromegaly, hyperthyroidism, Cushing syndrome, and pancreatic disorders.

The outcomes from the FBS test can be analysed according to the following table:

Interpretation of Abnormal Results

Low blood glucose levels, defined as blood sugar levels below 70 mg/dL, can stem from various causes, such as adrenal insufficiency (underactive adrenal glands), an overdose of insulin, starvation, drinking excessive alcohol, severe liver disease, hypopituitarism (underactive pituitary function), hypothyroidism (low thyroid function), severe infections, and insulinomas (tumours in the pancreas that produce insulin).

Elevated blood glucose levels, often associated with diabetes, can also arise from a range of other diseases and conditions, such as acromegaly (excess growth hormone), acute stress (response to trauma, heart attack, and stroke for instance), Cushing syndrome (excess cortisol hormone), hyperthyroidism (increased thyroid function), pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), and pancreatic cancer.