Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects millions of Americans. A sugar diabetes test is the best method of early intervention and can also catch other blood sugar abnormalities, such as hypoglycemia. At FastMed Urgent Care, your local walk-in clinic, we help patients manage chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and back pain. We also treat common conditions like strep throat, stitch up cuts, and x-ray an arm or leg to see if there is a break. Our on-site labs will process the results of your sugar diabetes test right away, so we can quickly decide on a course of treatment.
FastMed Urgent Care is not the same as emergency care. Diabetes can be a dangerous disease, so if you are experiencing severe symptoms, dial 9-1-1 and get to an emergency room right away. if you are doing a sugar test for diabetes at home using a monitor and test strips and you find your levels are significantly above average, you need medical attention. Severe symptoms require that you pay close attention in order to effectively manage the situation.
What is the Sugar Test for Diabetes?
There are tests to find out if you have diabetes and other blood sugar abnormalities, but once you have been diagnosed, FastMed Urgent Care can help you manage your diabetes or most other chronic conditions (You can find information about the diagnostic tests here). If you have diabetes, it is important to monitor your blood sugar levels to determine how well your diabetes is being controlled in the current course of treatment. The FastMed medical team near you may need to adjust your treatment based on the outcome of a test called Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c.)
HbA1c: A Sugar Test for Diabetes
The HBA1c is an important test in monitoring your diabetes. The test results show your FastMed medical team an average of your blood sugar control over a 6 to 12-week period. These results are reviewed in conjunction with your home blood sugar monitoring results.
When there is too much sugar in your blood, it attaches to the red blood cells that care oxygen (hemoglobin) and becomes glycated. The average amount of sugar in your blood can be determined by measuring your hemoglobin A1c The amount of hemoglobin A1c will show the last several weeks of blood-sugar levels, typically for a period of three months. If your glucose levels have been high over recent weeks, the results of your hemoglobin A1c test will be higher.
Alert: High Levels Sugar Diabetes Test
There are dangerous complications that can occur from diabetes. That’s why it’s very important to manage contact with your medical team at FastMed in addition to monitoring your blood-sugar levels at home.
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA): DKA is a very serious and potentially life-threatening condition. It is a chemical (electrolyte) imbalance that develops in diabetics when the cells do not get the sugar they need for energy.The body will break down fat in lieu of sugar and release ketones into your bloodstream. When your ketone levels are high, it is a warning sign. If your blood sugar levels are also high, you may want to see seek medical attention.
You can monitor your ketone levels with a simple urine test. When you go to FastMed, talk with your medical team about what levels of ketones could be dangerous for your condition. If your sugar diabetes test registers higher than average levels, you may want to test for ketones. Furthermore, if you show high levels for both ketones and blood sugar, seek immediate medical consultation prior to any strenuous activities.
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About FastMed
FastMed is a North Carolina-based integrated healthcare company based in Durham, NC. It operates more than 50 locations in 34 counties providing urgent care and occupational health as well as primary care at select locations. FastMed accepts most insurance plans and is one of a few private urgent care centers also accredited by The Joint Commission. Learn more at fastmed.com.