Diabetes Risk Panel

What

Our Diabetes Risk Panel measures blood glucose (blood sugar), hemoglobin A1c (sugar-coated hemoglobin protein in the blood), and total cholesterol level.

Who

Must be 18+ years of age to purchase.

How

Blood

Where

Find a location near you

Schedule an appointment, then visit a Quest Diagnostics patient service center location.

About the Test

Our Diabetes Risk Panel can help determine your risk of diabetes by measuring blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, and total cholesterol level. The glucose test measures your blood sugar level at the time of testing and will identify high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). The hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. The Total Cholesterol Test measures the total amount of cholesterol content in your blood based on your LDL (bad cholesterol) and HDL (good cholesterol) levels.

PLEASE NOTE

This test will only provide a value for Total Cholesterol and not individual values for LDL or HDL. If you are interested in a test that will provide these individual values, you may want to consider the Basic Health Profile, Women's Basic Health Profile, or Men's Basic Health Profile.

Our Diabetes Risk Panel measures your glucose (blood sugar) levels at the time of testing, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) to determine your average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months, and total cholesterol in your blood.

Glucose

Glucose is the main sugar found in your bloodstream. The sugar mainly comes from the food you eat and supplies energy to all cells in the body. Blood glucose levels are tightly controlled by hormones like insulin, which is produced in the pancreas. Consistently high blood glucose is typically seen in individuals with uncontrolled or undiagnosed diabetes. In people with diabetes, insulin is either less effective or not produced in sufficient quantity, making it harder to manage the amount of sugar passing through the blood. In type 2 diabetes, the cells become resistant to insulin and ignore its message to absorb glucose, a condition known as insulin resistance. Insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes, is strongly associated with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries caused by plaque accumulation in the inner lining of an artery).

Hemoglobin

Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs. When sugar enters the bloodstream, it attaches and sticks to hemoglobin molecules to form hemoglobin A1c. The HbA1c test is an important tool used for the screening, diagnosis, and management of diabetes.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance found in the blood that is needed to make cell walls, tissues, hormones, vitamin D, and bile acid. Too much cholesterol in the blood may clog blood vessels, which reduces the flow of blood to the heart, brain, and other organs. This may increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious health conditions. Our Total Cholesterol Test shows your total cholesterol number. This helps determine whether your cholesterol is elevated.

People living with diabetes are more likely to have elevated cholesterol, which may contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Diabetes tends to cause lower levels of "good" cholesterol (HDL) and increase levels of triglycerides and "bad" cholesterol (LDL), which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke (diabetic dyslipidemia).

Signs and symptoms of diabetes may be hard to recognize or go unnoticed. You may consider discussing your risk factors for diabetes with your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms:

Frequent urination
Increased thirst
Excessive hunger
Extreme fatigue
Dry mouth
Dry eyes
Blurred vision
Yeast infections
Unexplained weight loss
Itchy skin
Slow-healing cuts, bruises, or sores
Pain, numbness, or tingling in the hands, feet, or legs
Nausea and vomiting
Extremely dry skin
Frequent infections
Darkening and thickening of the skin on the neck, elbows, underarms, knuckles, groin, or knees

You must be 18 years of age or older to purchase. Purchases not permitted in: AK, AZ, HI.

Fasting (not eating or drinking anything except water) for 8-12 hours before your sample collection. You can drink water and take your regular medications as prescribed unless you are instructed not to by your healthcare provider. Please check with your healthcare provider. Those who choose not to fast may show elevated glucose and triglyceride levels.

When your results are ready, we will send them to you in a clear, easy-to-read report.

You will have the option to speak with an independent physician to discuss your results.

If your results differ from expected ranges, you may receive an alert call to inform you.

Your test results will be available to you a few days after we collect your sample.

How Does it Work?

Take an in-person test at a Quest Diagnostics location.

Over 2000+ locations focus on your safety, confidentiality and convenience.

Schedule your appointment after purchasing a test to minimize wait time.

Browse tests

Enter your zip code to find a Quest Diagnostics location closest to you.

Find a location

We will email you when your confidential results are available.

View results

Health insights, on your terms

Get lab work without having to wait and pay for an appointment with a doctor. Shop questhealth.com and choose from 75+ tests – the same quality tests that doctors use and trust, but no doctor visit required for purchase.

Easy to buy & simple to schedule

After your purchase, schedule an appointment at a nearby Quest Diagnostics location and have your specimen sample collected by a trained healthcare professional.

Fast online results, with support

Access test results from your phone as soon as they’re available, with the option to discuss your results with an independent physician at no extra cost.

Your results are available on our free, secure patient portal that you can access on your smartphone, tablet, or desktop. You will receive an email notification when your results are ready. You can also share your results with your healthcare provider, family, or friends.

FAQs

What's the difference between type 1 and 2 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is believed to be caused by an autoimmune reaction when the body mistakenly attacks itself. During this reaction, beta cells in the pancreas, which produce insulin, are destroyed. Currently, there is no known prevention for type 1 diabetes. This type of diabetes is usually diagnosed in children but can develop later.

Type 2 diabetes is more common in older people, but it can affect people of all ages. In most people with type 2 diabetes, the pancreas produces insulin, but the body cannot use it effectively. Insulin resistance, or impaired insulin sensitivity, is a precursor to diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, and exercising regularly.

How is A1c different from glucose level monitoring?

Routine glucose monitoring tells you your blood sugar level each time you test. The A1c test measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. Knowing your A1C is crucial, but it's not a substitute for routine self-monitoring. Both tests are important for the diagnosis and management of diabetes.

What lifestyle changes can I make to lower my A1c?

You can help to lower your A1c levels by making several lifestyle changes, such as eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, monitoring late-night snacks, managing your weight, and managing your medications. Making healthy lifestyle changes and sticking to them are both crucial: consistency is key.

Are there other names for a hemoglobin A1C test?

The hemoglobin A1c test is also known as the A1C, HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin, glycosylated hemoglobin, glycohemoglobin, or hemoglobin A1C test.

What does a high A1c mean?

An elevated hemoglobin A1c level means your blood sugar levels have been high over the past 3 months. The A1c test reports the percentage of hemoglobin in your blood that is coated with sugar. A higher percentage indicates higher blood sugar levels over the past 3 months.

What does a high glucose measurement mean?

Glucose testing measures the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood and can help you determine whether your blood sugar levels are normal, high (hyperglycemia), or low (hypoglycemia) at the time of testing. A high blood sugar level means there is too much sugar in the blood at the time of testing.

What are the risk factors for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common and certain conditions can put you at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Risk factors include:

Age 35 or older
Those who are overweight or obese and have certain risk factors:
- Family history of type 2 diabetes (parent or sibling)
- Native American, African American, Latino, Asian American, or Pacific Islander race or ethnicity
- History of heart disease or stroke
- High blood pressure
- Low HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol) and/or high triglyceride level
- Being physically inactive
- Having polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
History of gestational diabetes
Prediabetes, which is an elevated blood glucose level that is not high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes
HIV positive