BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuDiabetes tests and checkupsRoutine diabetes tests; Diabetes - preventionPeople who take control of their own diabetes care by eating healthy foods, living an active lifestyle, and taking medicines as prescribed often have good control of their blood sugar levels. Still, regular health checkups and tests are needed. These visits give you a chance to:DiabetesDiabetes is a long-term (chronic) disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Ask your health care provider questions Learn more about your diabetes and what you can do to keep your blood sugar in your target range Make sure you are taking your medicines the right way See Your DoctorSee your diabetes provider every 3 to 6 months. During this visit, your provider should check your:Blood pressure Weight Feet See your dentist every 6 months, also.If you are taking insulin or other injections, your provider will also examine your skin to look for signs of reactions to insulin at your injection sites. These may be hard areas or areas where fat under the skin has formed a lump.Your provider may also check your abdomen for signs of an enlarged liver.Eye ExamsAn eye doctor (ophthalmologist or optometrist) should check your eyes every year. See an eye doctor who takes care of people with diabetes. If you have eye problems because of diabetes, you will probably see your eye doctor more often.Eye problems because of diabetesDiabetes can harm your eyes. It can damage the small blood vessels in your retina, which is the back part of your eye. This condition is called dia...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Foot ExamsYour provider should check the pulses in your feet and your reflexes at least once a year. Your provider should also look for:Calluses Infections Sores Thick toenails Loss of feeling anywhere in your feet (peripheral neuropathy), done with a tool called a monofilamentPeripheral neuropathyPeripheral nerves carry information to and from the brain. They also carry signals in both directions between the spinal cord and the rest of the bo...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article If you have had foot ulcers before, see your provider every 3 to 6 months. It is always a good idea to ask your provider to check your feet.Check your feetDiabetes can damage the nerves and blood vessels in your feet. This damage can cause numbness and reduce feeling in your feet. As a result, your fe...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hemoglobin A1C TestsAn A1C lab test shows how well you are controlling your blood sugar levels over a 3-month period.A1C lab testA1C is a lab test that shows the average level of blood sugar (glucose) over the previous 3 months. It shows how well you are controlling your blood...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The normal level is less than 5.7%. Most people with diabetes should aim for an A1C of less than 7%. Some people have a higher target. Your provider will help decide what your target should be.Higher A1C numbers mean that your blood sugar is higher and that you may be more likely to have complications from your diabetes.Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsersCholesterolA cholesterol profile test measures cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood. You should have this kind of test in the morning, after not eating since the night before.Cholesterol profile testCholesterol is a soft, wax-like substance found in all parts of the body. Your body needs cholesterol to work properly. But too much cholesterol ca...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Most adults with type 2 diabetes should have this test once a year. People age 40 or over with high cholesterol or on medicines to control their cholesterol may have this test more often.Type 2 diabetesType 2 diabetes is a lifelong (chronic) disease in which there is a high level of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Type 2 diabetes is the most common f...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blood PressureBlood pressure should be measured at every visit. Talk to your provider about what your blood pressure goal should be.Blood pressureBlood pressure is a measurement of the force on the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood through your body. You can measure your blood pr...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Kidney TestsOnce a year, you should have a urine test that looks for a protein called albumin.Urine testThis test looks for a protein called albumin in a urine sample. Albumin can also be measured using a blood test or another urine test, called the uri...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Your provider will also have you take a blood test every year that measures how well your kidneys work.Blood testKidney function tests are common lab tests used to evaluate how well the kidneys are working. Such tests include:BUN (Blood urea nitrogen) Creatinin...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesAmerican Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. 4. Comprehensive medical evaluation and assessment of comorbidities: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024. Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S52-S76. PMID: 38078591 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38078591/.Brownlee M, Aiello LP, Sun JK, et al. Complications of diabetes mellitus. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 37.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Your diabetes care schedule. www.cdc.gov/diabetes/treatment/your-diabetes-care-schedule.html. Updated December 19, 2023. Accessed May 30, 2024.Dhatariya KK, Umpierrez GE, Crandall JP. Diabetes mellitus. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 210.AllVideoImagesTogMonofilament test - illustration A monofilament test is done to test for nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy), which may be caused by conditions such as diabetes. The monofilament is a small strand of nylon attached to a plastic base. The provider uses this monofilament to check for loss of feeling on your foot.Monofilament testillustrationMonofilament test - illustration A monofilament test is done to test for nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy), which may be caused by conditions such as diabetes. The monofilament is a small strand of nylon attached to a plastic base. The provider uses this monofilament to check for loss of feeling on your foot.Monofilament testillustrationA Closer Look Transient ischemic attacks(Alt. Medicine)Osteoporosis - InDepth(In-Depth)Sexually transmitted diseases(Alt. Medicine)Chronic fatigue syndrome(Alt. Medicine)Prostatitis(Alt. Medicine)Self Care Diabetes tests and checkupsTests and visits before surgeryRelated Information Type 1 diabetes(Condition)Type 2 diabetes(Condition)High blood pressure in adults - hypertension(Condition)Diabetes and eye disease(Condition)Microalbuminuria test(Medical Test)A1C test(Medical Test)Diabetes - foot ulcers(Self-Care)Diabetes eye care(Self-Care)Diabetes - when you are sick(Self-Care)Diabetes - preventing heart attack and stroke(Self-Care)Diabetes - taking care of your feet(Self-Care)Diabetes and exercise (Self-Care)Diabetes - keeping active (Self-Care)Low blood sugar - self-care(Self-Care)Managing your blood sugar(Self-Care)ACE inhibitors(Self-Care)Diabetes - type 1 - InDepth(In-Depth)Diabetes diet - InDepth(In-Depth)Diabetes - type 2 - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 5/20/2024 Reviewed By: Sandeep K. Dhaliwal, MD, board-certified in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Springfield, VA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Diabetes tests and checkupsRoutine diabetes tests; Diabetes - preventionPeople who take control of their own diabetes care by eating healthy foods, living an active lifestyle, and taking medicines as prescribed often have good control of their blood sugar levels. Still, regular health checkups and tests are needed. These visits give you a chance to:DiabetesDiabetes is a long-term (chronic) disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Ask your health care provider questions Learn more about your diabetes and what you can do to keep your blood sugar in your target range Make sure you are taking your medicines the right way See Your DoctorSee your diabetes provider every 3 to 6 months. During this visit, your provider should check your:Blood pressure Weight Feet See your dentist every 6 months, also.If you are taking insulin or other injections, your provider will also examine your skin to look for signs of reactions to insulin at your injection sites. These may be hard areas or areas where fat under the skin has formed a lump.Your provider may also check your abdomen for signs of an enlarged liver.Eye ExamsAn eye doctor (ophthalmologist or optometrist) should check your eyes every year. See an eye doctor who takes care of people with diabetes. If you have eye problems because of diabetes, you will probably see your eye doctor more often.Eye problems because of diabetesDiabetes can harm your eyes. It can damage the small blood vessels in your retina, which is the back part of your eye. This condition is called dia...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Foot ExamsYour provider should check the pulses in your feet and your reflexes at least once a year. Your provider should also look for:Calluses Infections Sores Thick toenails Loss of feeling anywhere in your feet (peripheral neuropathy), done with a tool called a monofilamentPeripheral neuropathyPeripheral nerves carry information to and from the brain. They also carry signals in both directions between the spinal cord and the rest of the bo...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article If you have had foot ulcers before, see your provider every 3 to 6 months. It is always a good idea to ask your provider to check your feet.Check your feetDiabetes can damage the nerves and blood vessels in your feet. This damage can cause numbness and reduce feeling in your feet. As a result, your fe...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hemoglobin A1C TestsAn A1C lab test shows how well you are controlling your blood sugar levels over a 3-month period.A1C lab testA1C is a lab test that shows the average level of blood sugar (glucose) over the previous 3 months. It shows how well you are controlling your blood...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The normal level is less than 5.7%. Most people with diabetes should aim for an A1C of less than 7%. Some people have a higher target. Your provider will help decide what your target should be.Higher A1C numbers mean that your blood sugar is higher and that you may be more likely to have complications from your diabetes.Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsersCholesterolA cholesterol profile test measures cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood. You should have this kind of test in the morning, after not eating since the night before.Cholesterol profile testCholesterol is a soft, wax-like substance found in all parts of the body. Your body needs cholesterol to work properly. But too much cholesterol ca...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Most adults with type 2 diabetes should have this test once a year. People age 40 or over with high cholesterol or on medicines to control their cholesterol may have this test more often.Type 2 diabetesType 2 diabetes is a lifelong (chronic) disease in which there is a high level of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Type 2 diabetes is the most common f...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blood PressureBlood pressure should be measured at every visit. Talk to your provider about what your blood pressure goal should be.Blood pressureBlood pressure is a measurement of the force on the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood through your body. You can measure your blood pr...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Kidney TestsOnce a year, you should have a urine test that looks for a protein called albumin.Urine testThis test looks for a protein called albumin in a urine sample. Albumin can also be measured using a blood test or another urine test, called the uri...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Your provider will also have you take a blood test every year that measures how well your kidneys work.Blood testKidney function tests are common lab tests used to evaluate how well the kidneys are working. Such tests include:BUN (Blood urea nitrogen) Creatinin...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesAmerican Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. 4. Comprehensive medical evaluation and assessment of comorbidities: Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024. Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S52-S76. PMID: 38078591 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38078591/.Brownlee M, Aiello LP, Sun JK, et al. Complications of diabetes mellitus. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 37.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Your diabetes care schedule. www.cdc.gov/diabetes/treatment/your-diabetes-care-schedule.html. Updated December 19, 2023. Accessed May 30, 2024.Dhatariya KK, Umpierrez GE, Crandall JP. Diabetes mellitus. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 210.
