Finding Whether Diabetes Lurks

MORE than six million Americans are walking around with no idea that they have an insidious disease with the potential to wreak havoc throughout the body.

The simplest means for earlier detection is a blood sugar test, measured after a person has fasted for at least eight hours. Readings above 126 milligrams of glucose per tenth of a liter of blood indicate diabetes; anything below 100 is considered normal. Intermediate levels reflect impaired glucose metabolism or “pre-diabetes.” People in this category need yearly testing, because up to 8 percent of them will become diabetic each year. About 54 million Americans are pre-diabetic.

Read more of this article at {EXT http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/01/health/01diabetes.html?_r=1&oref=slogin}The New York Times{/EXT}

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