Glucose test

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X

Blood test

FBS; Blood sugar levels; Fasting blood sugar

• Excessive bleeding
• Fainting or feeling lightheaded
• Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
• Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
• Multiple punctures to locate veins

Many forms of severe stress (for example, trauma, stroke, heart attack, and surgery) can temporarily increase glucose levels.

Drugs that can increase glucose measurements include the following:

• Atypical antipsychotics, especially olanzapine
• Corticosteroids
• Diazoxide
• Intravenous dextrose
• Diuretics
• Epinephrine
• Estrogens
• Glucagon
• Isoniazid
• Lithium
• Phenothiazines
• Phenytoin
• Salicylates (acute toxicity -- see aspirin overdose)
• Triamterene
• Tricyclic antidepressants

Drugs that can decrease glucose measurements include the following:

• Acetaminophen
• Alcohol
• Anabolic steroids
• Clofibrate
• Disopyramide
• Gemfibrozil
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
• Pentamidine
• Sulfonylurea medications (such as glipizide, glyburide, and glimepiride)

Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.

Review Date: 02/08/2007
Reviewed By: Robert Hurd, MD, Professor of Endocrinology, Department of Biology, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.