The panel contains the following tests:

• Fasting glucose – A snapshot of your glucose level in a fasting state.
• HbA1C – Your average glucose over the last 2-3 months.
• Insulin – For people with diabetes, insulin does not work optimally. As a result, your body makes more insulin than normal to help keep your glucose level within normal range.

You might be surprised to learn that an estimated 30.2 million people in the United States have diabetes - which is over 9% of our population! Even more startling is the fact that 7.2 million of them are undiagnosed. That means a staggering 23.8% of the US population are unaware they even have diabetes!¹

Those are frightening statistics….and accurately testing for blood sugar is like putting pieces of a puzzle together. Many doctors rely on a HbA1C to determine glycemic control in people with diabetes; but, the truth is that not a single test alone is able to capture fasting glucose status, average glucose levels over time, and deadly post meal spikes. The Diabetes Management Profile (Basic) looks at all three components of the glycemic triad, so you have a better picture of how well your blood sugar is being controlled.

Instructions

This test may be done fasting or 2-6 hours after eating. Both ways provide valuable information, though 2-6 hours after a meal provides a more realistic assessment of the state of your blood in everyday life. Stay hydrated and take your medications as prescribed.

References

1. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/data/statistics-report/diagnosed-undiagnosed.html
   Accessed March 2015