Screening of Random Blood Sugar in Women: A Critical View

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders of carbohydrate metabolism in which glucose is underused, producing hyperglycemia. 250 million people currently have diabetes, by 2025 this number will reach 280 million. 80% among these live in developing countries .Analysis of the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) using both fasting glucose and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) shows prevalence of diabetes in US in persons 20 years of age and older of 12.9%. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus increases with age, and approximately half of all cases occur in people older than 55 years. Diabetes is the fourth common cause of death in the developed world.

Because early detection and prompt treatment may reduce the burden of type 2 diabetes and its complications, screening for diabetes may be appropriate under certain circumstances. This position statement provides recommendations for diabetes screenings performed in physicians' offices and community screening programs. This position statement does not address screening for type 1 diabetes or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Because of the acute onset of symptoms, most cases of type 1 diabetes are detected soon after symptoms develop.