Sign In | Sign Up | Help | Invite    
Advanced Search Ask A Question Community Recent Changes
My:             Contributions   
Contributors
{for ul in pageInfo.page}
${ul.nickName}
{var al = toBreakWord(ul.adUrl,18)} {if ul.adSentence !=''}${ul.adSentence}
{/if} {if ul.adUrl !=''}${al}
{/if}
 
{/for}
Earn Free Advertising   +   Earn Money By Writing What You Know at WISTEME.COM
Question Discussion History

Edit
    Question ID:   9333         Current Version: 1
Question: What is an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)?
Category: Diseases & Conditions > Diabetes
Keywords: Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, OGTT
Type: what
Rating:(0 ratings)    Views: 242    Discussions: 0   In Watch Lists: 1  

 
    Answer:

An Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) is a way to measure your body's ability to use glucose. Your pancreas (a gland located behind the stomach) makes a hormone called insulin, which helps your body use the glucose in your blood. If your pancreas does not make enough insulin or if your body is unable to use the insulin it makes, you may have a high blood glucose level. The test involves having your blood checked early in the morning and then drinking a special sugar beverage. After 2 hours you will have your blood tested again. Sometimes blood sugar levels are also drawn at other times such as one hour, three hours, or four hours after the glucose drink.

If the OGTT shows that your blood glucose levels are higher than normal, your doctor may tell you that you have "impaired glucose tolerance." This often means that you are at risk for developing diabetes. Rarely, diabetes is diagnosed after an OGTT. Diabetes is a chronic (long term) illness that can happen when your body does not make enough insulin, or when your body has difficulty using the insulin that it does make. 

Before OGTT

Your doctor will most likely give you either a glucose drink to take home or a prescription to bring to your pharmacy (for the special glucose drink). Some tests are done in a doctor's office but most often the test is done in a lab at a hospital or clinic. The test takes several hours (most of it is waiting between blood tests) so you will need to clear your calendar for most of the morning of the test. If you need to fill a prescription, be sure to call your pharmacy ahead of time to check to see if they have the glucose drink in stock, as some pharmacies may not carry this item. 

3 DAYS before the OGTT  

Plan on eating three healthy meals and snacks for 3 days before the test. You do not need to buy anything "special" but you do need to make sure you have healthy foods to eat. Your meals should be balanced with plenty of carbohydrates. Foods containing carbohydrates include:

12 HOURS before the OGTT

DO NOT eat, smoke or do heavy exercise 12 hours before the test. (For example: If your test is scheduled for 8:00 AM - Do not eat, smoke or do heavy exercise after 8pm the night before). You may drink plain, NOT flavored water.

On the Morning of the Test 

When you are ready to leave your home to have your test done, be sure to remember to bring:

  • Your laboratory slips
  • Your glucose drink
  • A CD or MP3 player with head phones (to listen to music while you wait)
  • Reading material/book/magazine

VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!! DO NOT DRINK the glucose beverage until you arrive at the lab. The lab technician will tell you when to drink the glucose beverage.

At the Lab

  • A fasting blood glucose test is done. This is a simple blood test that checks your blood sugar before you drink the glucose beverage.
  • The lab technician will tell you to drink the glucose beverage. It will taste very sweet. It is important to drink the whole amount fairly quickly.
  • After you finish drinking all of the glucose beverage, you will be asked to sit quietly until it is time (one to two hours) for your next blood test. You may read, listen to music, talk, or do another quiet activity while you're waiting.

VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!!! DO NOT EAT or DRINK anything except plain water while you are waiting.

  • Once your tests are done and the lab technician gives you permission to leave, you may go about your normal daily activities. You can go back to school or work, eat, drink, and do the regular exercise that you normally do.
The lab will usually send your results to your doctor within a few days. You may already have a follow-up appointment scheduled or your doctor may call you to review your results and let you know if there are any concerns.

Source: girlshealth.gov
Read more questions from WISTEME through
     Add to MSN Add to My AOL
 Rate this Question
   Add to Groups   Add to Watch Lists   Share Question
                          
 
    More Readings :
[QID:5895]    What is blood sugar?  
[QID:2098]    How do I know if my diabetes medicines are working?  
[QID:2096]    How will my doctor test me for diabetes?  
[QID:2095]    What factors increase my risk of getting diabetes?  
[QID:836]    What can we know about diabetes?  
[QID:437]    What kind of diet should a diabetic choose?  
[QID:8884]    Will gestational diabetes affect the baby?  
[QID:8879]    What is gestational diabetes?  
[QID:8635]    Can insulin pens be shared by multiple patients?  
[QID:9207]    What is pterygium?  
     Question ID:  ${question.id}         Current Version:  ${question.version}

{for qh in questionHistory} {if qh.status == 'r'} {else} {/if} {/for}
Version Contributor Date (ET) Voting
${qh.version} ${qh.nickName} ${qh.date} Rejected
${qh.version} ${qh.nickName} ${qh.date} {if qh.status != 'c'} {if qh.status == 'a'} Approved {else} {if qh.rstatus == 'c'} On-going {else} Pending {/if} {/if} {else}   {/if}
Start a New Topic
ID Topics Replies Latest Post (ET)
{if dlist!=null} {for d in dlist} {/for}
${parseInt(d_index)+1} ${d.sentence} ${d.replyNum} ${d.lastestDate}
{else}
No discussion topic.
{/if}
Label Name:
 
Group Name:
 
 
{else}
     You have no group.
{/if}
Advertisements
{if advertisements.length > 0} {else} {/if}
{for ad in advertisements}
${ad.adTitle}
${ad.adSentence}
${ad.adUrl}
{/for}

Home | About Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Browse Questions | RSS Feed

Copyright ©2010 WISTEME LLC. All Rights Reserved.