OGTT Test - What is the Oral Glucose Load Test?

Have you received a referral from a doctor for an OGTT test, but you are not sure what awaits you? Or you don't understand what this study is for? Or maybe you are already after the OGTT test, you have the results in front of you and you are wondering what to do next? 

This post aims to dispel your doubts and provide you with answers to most of your questions about the OGTT study. Apparently, "the devil is not as scary as he is painted". So let's face this "devil", which in this case is glucose.

OGTT test: what is this test?

OGTT (Oral Glucose Tolerance Test) or otherwise oral glucose loading test is performed in people with suspected type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes and in those people at risk of developing diabetes related to the presence of the disease in the immediate family.

If you are interested in this topic, you are definitely in one of these groups. Just take it easy, if you've been referred for this test, it doesn't necessarily mean you have diabetes! What's more, it is thanks to this test that you will check whether your sugar level is normal and whether you need to worry. And even if the test is not within the normal range, you will learn what to do to make it better.

OGTT test: preparation

You don't need to be particularly prepared for the OGTT test. The basic conditions that must be met are:

• Don't change your diet or lifestyle right before the test! If you live a sedentary lifestyle and suddenly start moving or eating healthier before the test, this can lead to a false or delayed diagnosis, and thus incorrect treatment. OGTT test if you do not deceive the doctor, you will deceive only yourself;
• The day before the test, rest, sleep, avoid stressful situations;
• On the test day, be on an empty stomach (do not eat for at least 8 hours before the test, drink only water);
• Immediately before the test, do not take medications that raise blood sugar levels that you are taking on a regular basis (e.g. glycocoteroids, beta-blockers, diuretics, L-thyroxine).

If you already have glucose intolerance, i.e. pre-diabetes, and are taking metformin, at least one week before the OGTT test you have to put her back. If you take a lot of medications and you do not know if you can take them on the day of the examination, ask your doctor referring you to the examination before the OGTT test.

What is the OGTT test?

In brief, The OGTT test involves taking blood from a vein on an empty stomach and then drinking the glucose (glucose load 75 g) and subsequent blood donations at 60 and 120 minutes after drinking glucose. You can get the glucose needed for the test at the place of collection or you will have to buy it yourself at the pharmacy. Before the OGTT test, make sure that glucose is available at your collection point.

There are two types OGTT test:

OGTT test two-point

As the name suggests, blood is drawn on an empty stomach, before administering glucose, and then 2 hours after drinking the glucose solution.

OGTT test three-point

Performed in pregnant women, in which blood is first drawn on an empty stomach, then the second time one hour after drinking glucose, and the third time two hours after glucose consumption. It is important that you drink this glucose as soon as possible and within 2 minutes.

You have to be prepared for the fact that glucose is not the "drink of the gods" and that you probably won't like it. You will feel as if you are drinking the so-called jams, which are a sticky substance made of sugar and water. After drinking the glucose, sit quietly in front of the collection point office and do not leave the facility until you are finished OGTT test! It is very important that the test is done at rest. If during the test you start to move or go for a walk in the hospital, the test will have to be repeated because the result will not be reliable.

OGTT Test (Glucose Load Test): Normy.

For non-pregnant women and men, the norms are:

• normal fasting glucose should be between 70-99mg / dl;
• abnormal fasting glucose ranges from 100-125 mg / dl;
• impaired glucose tolerance occurs if, 2 hours after drinking glucose, glucose is 140-199 mg / dl;
• you have cause for concern if in 2 hours after load of 75 g of glucose Your result will be equal to or greater than 200 mg / dL, then diabetes is already diagnosed. Make sure you see a doctor as soon as possible! Long-term high blood sugar levels are very dangerous to health and can lead to many very serious diabetic complications;
• If you have fasting glucose over 99 mg / dL, it's time to start taking care of your own health. This is called The last call (known as pre-diabetes) before diabetes is around the corner watching you closely. Now it is largely up to you whether you develop diabetes and when it will happen.

Healthy eating, physical activity and losing unnecessary kilograms are a milestone in preventing the development of diabetes in time.

OGTT in pregnancy

OGTT test during pregnancy is performed at load of 75g of glucosebetween 24 and 28 weeks of gestation, only in women who have had a normal glucose test before. OGTT test must be performed as soon as possible if your glucose result is abnormal before 24 weeks of pregnancy.

OGTT test standards in pregnant women are:

• normal fasting glucose should be below 92 mg / dl;
• one hour after drinking glucose less than 180 mg / dl;
• below 2 mg / dl after 153 hours.

If at least one of these levels is exceeded and you are pregnant, that means you have gestational diabetes and you need to see a diabetologist, a doctor who treats diabetes.

Gestational diabetes: what is it and how is it treated?

Treatment of gestational diabetes mainly consists of self-monitoring of glucose with a glucose meter and the use of an appropriate diet with restriction of eating foods with a high glycemic index. If the diet does not bring the expected results, insulin therapy is introduced.

If a woman with gestational diabetes in her first pregnancy is in another pregnancy, it is necessary to immediately perform the OGTT test with a glucose load of 75 g, immediately after confirming the next pregnancy. If you had gestational diabetes in your first pregnancy, unfortunately there is a high risk that it will also accompany you in the second and subsequent pregnancies. 

Performing tests and diagnostics 

As you can see, the OGTT test plays a very important role in diagnosing carbohydrate metabolism disorders. Done correctly and on time, it allows you to accurately make a diagnosis and introduce appropriate treatment. We hope that this text has explained to you what the OGTT test is, what it is for, and most importantly - now you know how to prepare for it.