Apollo Diabetes Panel - Essential in T Nagar, Chennai

Curated by Dr Sravya, the Apollo Diabetes Panel - Essential comprises tests like fasting, PP, HbA1c, complete urine examination, CBC, LFT and creatinine serum to monitor if diabetes is putting you at risk of vision loss, kidney failure, or heart disease. This test should be taken by people of all age group who are either prediabetic, diabetic or has a family history of diabetes.

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic health problems and affects the production or use of insulin. This directly leads to irregular glucose (blood sugar) levels in the body. As such, a Diabetes Test can not only monitor the condition and its related effects but also accurately pinpoint whether an individual is at risk of developing it.

Regardless, it may be challenging to identify if you have diabetes, especially in the early stages. This is due to the symptoms typically being subtle or developing gradually. However, specific clinical markers can indicate an undiagnosed case of the condition. These include the following: 

• Severe thirst
• Persistent fatigue
• Unusual hunger or appetite
• Blurred vision
• Frequent need to urinate
• Slow-healing cuts, bruises or sores

If left untreated, diabetes results in elevated glucose levels, subsequently damaging nerves and blood vessels. Some of the other related complications include:

• Significantly increased risk of a stroke or heart attack
• Gradual loss of vision or difficulty seeing
• Numbness in the hands or feet

Opting for a blood test for diabetes can help prevent these issues from occurring entirely. As such, Apollo 24|7 offers a collection of tests that provides a comprehensive overview of the condition. The hosted package includes a total of 75 individual clinical examinations and can be broadly categorised into the following divisions:

• Glucose, Fasting: This category includes measuring fasting glucose levels. It is an essential part of the diabetic health checkup and offers information on short-term glycaemic control.
• Glucose, Post Prandial (PP), 2 hours (post-meal): It measures the blood glucose levels exactly 2 hours after a meal. The test is used to check for diabetes and to monitor how the effectiveness of diabetes treatment. Like glucose (fasting), this test also plays a vital role in diabetic health checkups.
• Creatinine, Serum: This test measures how well your kidneys are filtering creatinine, a chemical compound from your blood. Creatinine is a  waste left over from biological processes in your muscles.
• HbA1C, Glycated Hemoglobin: This test reports your average level of blood glucose levels over the past 2 to 3 months.
• Microalbumin (MAU)- Spot Urine: As the name suggests, the test is used to detect microscopic levels of a albumin, a blood protein, in urine.
• Complete Urine Examination: The diagnostic test helps detect a number of health disorders, such as urinary tract infections, renal disease and diabetes. It involves checking the appearance, concentration and content of urine.
• Complete blood count (CBC): There are over 20 tests under this category. These tests evaluate different components of your blood like haemoglobin, red blood cells count, total leucocytes, platelets, packed-cell volume, and others.
• Electrolytes- Serum: The test measures levels of the body's main electrolytes - Sodium, Chloride, Potassium, and Bicarbonate.
• Lipid Profile: It is a type of blood test that is used to measure the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.
• Liver Function Test: This comprises a group of blood tests that offer information about the health and functioning of a patient's liver. The test evaluates the levels of certain enzymes and proteins in the blood.

Each listed category deals with specific biological areas. For instance, the included urine analysis has 18 separate tests that assess the presence of pus and epithelial cells in addition to the following:

• Physical irregularities (Colour, transparency, pH levels) 
• Biochemical abnormalities (Protein and glucose levels, presence of ketones)

Meanwhile, the Complete Blood Count (CBC) blood count examines haemoglobin levels and Red Blood Cells (RBCs), in addition to a leukocyte count (white blood cells). Collectively, these clinical assessments can provide an accurate medical analysis for a diabetic patient. Conversely, they can also identify if you are at risk for developing the condition.

Notwithstanding, you should consider opting for the Apollo 24|7 Diabetes Test if you:

• Are overweight with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 25
• Have a history of high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar levels, insulin resistance or low HDL cholesterol
• Currently suffer from or previously experienced any heart-related conditions
• Have family members diagnosed with diabetes
• Have a medical history of gestational diabetes or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

It’s essential to note that a person's age significantly increases the risk for diabetes. Thus, if you are above 45 years old, it is crucial to opt for a blood test for diabetes to establish a standard range of individual blood sugar levels.