Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Blood tests can be done to diagnose diabetes. These include:

Random blood glucose

• This is a blood glucose sample that is taken without fasting
• A random blood glucose 11.1mmol/L or greater is suggestive of diabetes

Fasting blood glucose

• This is a blood glucose sample taken after an overnight fast
• Diabetes is diagnosed with the fasting blood glucose is 7.0mmol/L or greater

Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)

• A fasting blood glucose level will be taken, after which you will drink a standard amount of sugary drink (75g)
• Diabetes is diagnosed when the fasting blood glucose is 7.0mmol/L or greater, or a glucose reading 2 hours after the sugary drink is 11.1mmol/L or greater

People with symptoms of high blood glucose will only need one test to diagnose diabetes. People who do not have symptoms of high blood glucose will need to be tested on 2 separate occasions to diagnose diabetes.