Q. Explain about Oral Glucose Tolerance Test?
This is most commonly used diagnostic test particularly for identifying new and ‘at risk' individua1s.Thi.s test is carried out after fasting overnight (12 hours). Glucose, 75 gin adults and 1.75 &kg body weight in children, is administered orally (dissolve in glass of water). Before the glucose load and 2 hours after the blood samples are taken and estimated for sugar levels.
The diagnostic criteria for impaired glucose tolerance test (IGT) is given in the Table 12.4. In normal individuals free from diabetes and with no impaired glucose tolerance, the fasting sugar levels are between 80-100 mg/ 100 dl. The blood sugar levels increase after glucose load and come down to basal level after 2 hours.