Fasting before blood tests helps ensure accurate results by reflecting your true health status. Schedule blood tests in the morning to minimize waking hours spent fasting. Drink water to stay hydrated ...

A person should only fast before a blood test if their doctor or healthcare professional specifically instructs them to do so. Not all blood tests require fasting. If a doctor or healthcare ...

Blood sugar testing seems simple, right? You prick your finger, see a number, and know if you’re “good” or “bad.” But anyone who’s ever tried to make sense of fasting glucose, post-meal readings, ...

Non-fasting glucose levels should usually be under 125 mg/dL. A non-fasting glucose level above 200 mg/dL could indicate diabetes. A random blood glucose test measures sugar levels anytime, even after ...

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m confused by the relationship between my blood glucose level and A1C. My blood glucose has crept up from 100 to 112 in one year after I started taking 40 mg of atorvastatin. My A1C ...

Dear Dr. Roach: I’m confused by the relationship between my blood glucose level and A1C. My blood glucose has crept up from 100 to 112 in one year after I started taking 40 mg of atorvastatin. My A1C ...

If you've been managing diabetes based solely on your HbA1c report every three months, you might be flying blind between appointments, and making decisions based on incomplete information.

A patient recently showed me his annual health check-up, blood sugar normal, HbA1c 5.8%, cholesterol "borderline." His doctor ...