Oral glucose tolerance test

The oral glucose tolerance test measures blood glucose before and after a standardized oral glucose drink. The results show how effectively the body handles a glucose load.

Glucose: A simple sugar that circulates in blood and supplies energy to cells. The test measures how blood glucose changes after a defined oral dose.
Diabetes mellitus: A group of disorders characterized by chronic high blood glucose caused by impaired insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The test can establish diabetes when glucose values meet diagnostic thresholds.
Fasting: A period without food or caloric drinks before a medical test or procedure. A fasting baseline is commonly required before the glucose drink.
Fasting plasma glucose test: A blood test that measures glucose after a period without caloric intake. It uses a single fasting measurement rather than a post-load response.
Insulin: A hormone that lowers blood glucose by promoting glucose uptake and storage. Insulin release helps determine the measured response to the glucose drink.
Prediabetes: Blood glucose levels higher than normal but below the diagnostic threshold for diabetes. An intermediate result can identify impaired glucose tolerance and elevated future diabetes risk.
Plasma glucose: The concentration of glucose measured in the liquid component of blood. Diagnostic interpretation relies on plasma glucose at specified time points.
Hemoglobin A1c test: A blood test that estimates average glucose exposure over preceding months from glycated hemoglobin. It does not require a glucose drink or timed post-drink blood samples.
Insulin resistance: A reduced biological response to insulin in tissues such as muscle, liver, and fat. Insulin resistance can produce elevated glucose values during the test.
Gestational diabetes: Diabetes first diagnosed during pregnancy, usually reflecting pregnancy-related insulin resistance. An oral glucose tolerance test is a standard diagnostic approach during pregnancy.

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