Glucose - Fasting Urine
Understanding Glucose - Fasting Urine
What is Glucose - Fasting Urine?
This test measures the amount of glucose in urine after fasting. Glucose is a type of sugar that is normally not excreted in urine by the kidneys. High level of glucose in urine indicate the presence of diabetes or kidney disorders. You may need this test if you have symptoms of diabetes like increased thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision & fatigue. A pregnant woman during her 24th & 28th week may also need this test to check for gestational diabetes. This test is also recommended for the people having family history of diabetes or with known risk factors such as hypertension.
What is Glucose - Fasting Urine used for?
The glucose - fasting urine test is done:
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To assess if a person is diabetic
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To detect gestational diabetes in pregnant ladies
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To monitor glucose levels in diabetic patients
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To assess kidney function in diabetic patients
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To monitor the efficacy of treatment in diabetic patients
What does Glucose - Fasting Urine measure?
The Glucose - fasting urine test measures the levels of glucose in urine during the period of fasting. The most common cause of high levels of glucose in the urine is diabetes. In diabetes, the way the body processes the glucose gets affected. The insulin hormone is responsible for controlling the metabolism of glucose in the blood. In diabetic patients, the body is either not able to make enough insulin or the body is not able to utilize the insulin produced. Due to this, the glucose starts to build up in the blood and the kidneys are not able to control it to release it into the urine.
The presence of glucose in the urine is termed as glycosuria or glucosuria. This could be due to side effects caused by certain medicines or problems in the kidney, such as renal glycosuria.
Interpreting Glucose - Fasting Urine results
Interpretations
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High levels of glucose in urine indicate diabetes. However, it can also be due to side effects caused by certain medicines or kidney problems such as renal glycosuria.
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High levels of glucose in urine in pregnancy indicate gestational diabetes.