Clinical Testing for Diabetes - Essay Example

Testing for Diabetes Name Course Institution Introduction Clinical testing for diabetes is required of everyone at least twice every year. Those that are not diabetic need the tests to track their blood sugar levels and ensure that they are not at dangerous levels that put them under the risk of diabetes. Those with diabetes need the tests to track the effectiveness of their treatment and the effectiveness of a healthy diet and exercise in relation to the same. Clinical tests for diabetes consist of eye examinations, foot examination, and blood pressure examination. The eye examination is done to manage, monitor, and tell the possibility of the presence or progression of eye disease as a result of diabetes. There is the foot examination that tests for the onset or progression of the peripheral arterial disease or the nerve disease. The other is the eye examination that tests for the possibility of the onset of eye disease. It also monitors the progression of the condition there be any. Alongside clinical testing comes the A1c laboratory test that gives the accurate blood glucose levels. It is considered the best because of its reflection of results for a long time and its efficiency without conditions such as the need to fast. Definition of Terms Diabetes is a condition that results in the internal attack of the body to the point where it cannot properly produce or use the hormone insulin. Insulin helps in the transport of glucose generated from the food people consume to the cells where the insulin facilitates the uptake of the glucose and the breakdown of the excess glucose. The condition causes one to either produce n little quantities or none or raise the body resistance to blood sugar. The most common types of diabetes are type one and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is characterized by the lack of insulin production by the pancreas and is most common among the young people such as infants and teens. The other is Type 2 diabetes that is characterized by the lack of production of enough insulin by the pancreas and is most common among seniors above the age of 45. It is characterized by insulin resistance. There is another common type known as gestational diabetes that affects pregnant women and goes away soon after the pregnancy[May17]. Diabetes is characterized by extreme thirst, frequent urination, blurry vision, extreme hunger, increased tiredness, and unusual loss of weight. Clinical tests can detect diabetes in certain stages during routine doctor examinations. For instance, since diabetes affects the circulation of blood to the feet and results in the appearance of tiny blood vessels in the eyes, the detection of the symptoms is likely to prompt the doctor to refer a patient for further laboratory tests. Clinical tests also reveal the progress or responsiveness of diabetes to treatment. The reason behind the necessity for Clinical tests for Diabetes Tests for diabetes should be carried out for various reasons such as the need to identify the risk or presence of diabetes. The risky phase is known as the pre-diabetic phase and if diagnosed early can be treated and diabetes avoided. The tests are also essential for the judgement of the progress of the treatment for diabetes and the accomplishment of the set treatment goals. The other is the understanding of the impact of diet, exercise, stress, and illness affect the levels of blood sugar. Such make the people involved make conscious decisions on their lifestyle. It also monitors the impact of the medications for diabetes on the levels of blood sugar and to identify the overall level of blood sugar. The blood sugar results are measured with consideration to the presence of other complications or illnesses, pregnancy status, the time spent with the diabetic condition, age, the type of diabetes and its severity, and the presence of diabetes related complications. What consists of clinical diabetes tests Clinical tests for diabetes can be conducted on people with diabetes and people with diabetes. Since some of the symptoms of diabetes are detected in the visibility of unusual veins in the eyes, swollen legs, and unusual blood pressure, clinical tests that reveal the same are likely to be indications of diabetes and they require further and more accurate tests for accuracy. The test for diabetes requires laboratory and clinical tests. The tests are carried out to monitor blood glucose levels, monitor the control of blood glucose, detect the onset of diabetic complications or its onset, and predict the response of treatment for diabetes. There are various tests for diabetes, some of which are traditional. For instance, there is the Oral Glucose Tolerance (OGTT) test and the Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) test. The tests, however, require fasting prior to the tests, multiple tests for accuracy, and varying results during illnesses. They also give results for the short term. It is for that reason that the A1c test is the most favoured because of its resistance to unnecessary fluctuations as a result of illnesses. It also does not require fasting prior to the results, which makes it easier and more accurate to test[Mar091]. The clinical tests consist of: Eye examination: Since diabetes causes blurry vision among other eye complications, eye tests for the presence or absence of abnormal veins on the cornea are conducted. Foot examination: Diabetes causes complications that reduce the flow of blood into the legs. If not checked, it results into the peripheral arterial disease and the nerve disease. Blood pressure: There is need for full foot examinations every year, eye examinations every five years for type one diabetes and every three years for type 2 diabetes, and the routine blood pressure tests with every routine diabetes check-up. There are additional blood and urine tests depending on the type of testing that is applied. Some doctors request for the blood sample after a night of fasting while others ask for a blood sample without any conditions. Some tests require a urine test where the doctor requests for the urine of the patient. The urine is tested after the detection of type 1 diabetes. As for testing for gestational diabetes, pregnant mothers with a previous case of gestational diabetes are tested for diabetes during their first trimester. Other pregnant women at risk of getting gestational diabetes are tested for diabetes during their third of fourth week. People at the highest obvious risk of diabetes include people over the age of 45 and people whose Body Mass Index exceeds 25 regardless of their age. Clinical tests are screening tests that detect the early stages of the disease or establish the possibility of the presence of a disease. In the case of diabetes, clinical diagnosis can happen during other diabetes unrelated doctor visits. There are also diagnostic tests that mostly involve laboratory work and invasive procedures. Below is a clear definition of the screening and diagnostic tests. Screening tests are non-invasive and are easily acceptable among the patients and staff members. The target population for screening includes random people but especially those under the risk of diabetes they gravitate towards high sensitivity for accuracy. They are used with other factors to confirm the presence of the disease. They are also cheap on the medical institutions because they do not apply extremely expensive machinery and only a small number of those screened is found to have diabetes. The diagnostic tests are carried out for the ultimate identification of the presence of absence of a disease. The target population is narrowed down to a symptomatic selected few or asymptomatic individuals with positive results. They are invasive and expensive and often cause anxiety and fear because of the invasiveness. They are more accurate because the diagnoses are done with precision. They give definite diagnosis and despite their high cost, the justification lies in their accuracy and narrow population. References May17: , (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2017), Mar091: , (Cox & Edelman, 2009), Read More