Diabetes Overview, Diagnosis, Monitoring, and Testing Diabetes awareness for managing a healthier lifestyle

A diabetes diagnosis is made primarily by the detection of hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar. There are many tools, however, in the array of diabetes-related diagnostic tests. Diabetes-related tests are performed for various reasons on many different types of patients:

• Newly diagnosed diabetes patients: To help determine if they have type 1 or type 2 diabetes when the clinical indications are inconclusive.
• Type 2 diabetes patients: To monitor and adjust therapies.
• All diabetes patients: To test for diabetic nephropathy by measuring their urinary albumin levels.
• Postmenopausal women: Studies indicate that this group may have an increased risk for cardiac mortality if they have an elevated urinary albumin level.
• Women diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome: This syndrome affects 6–10% of all women, with 50% having insulin resistance. These women are at high-risk for developing type 2 diabetes. An abnormally elevated insulin level with hyperglycemia could indicate insulin resistance.

Those diagnosed with diabetes are encouraged to monitor their condition on a regular basis. By measuring hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), doctors can gauge the average blood sugar levels over the last 2–3 months and thereby provide a more tailored treatment plan. HbA1c measurement can also show whether treatment plans and lifestyle choices have been effective.

Type 1 Diabetes

• Formerly called “insulin-dependent” or “juvenile-onset” diabetes.
• An autoimmune disease that causes destruction of pancreatic beta cells, which are responsible for synthesizing and secreting insulin.
• Accounts for 10 % of all diabetes patients.¹

Type 2 Diabetes

• Formerly called “non-insulin-dependent” or “adult-onset” diabetes.
• Caused by insulin resistance or inadequate insulin secretion.
• Accounts for 90-95% of all diabetes cases.²

Pre-diabetes

• Patients have impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glucose.
• Individuals have blood glucose levels higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
• People with pre-diabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.³

Siemens Healthineers offers a wide range of assays that aid in the differentiation of type 1 from type 2 diabetes, monitor glycemic control, monitor HbA1c levels to follow the progression of the disease, and check for diabetes-related conditions.

Siemens Healthineers also offers comprehensive point-of-care(POC) diabetes testing solutions.

Each November, Siemens Healthineers works to raise awareness about diabetes—a serious chronic condition, but manageable when detected early enough to begin a physician-monitored treatment plan. We are passionate about helping patients lead healthy lives and partnering with nurses and clinicians to aid them in managing their patients’ conditions.