GLUCOSE, POST PRANDIAL (PP), 2 HOURS

The Glucose PP Test (Postprandial Glucose Test, often abbreviated as the 2-hour PP test) measures your blood glucose level at a specific time, typically two hours, after you have started eating a meal or a standardized glucose drink.

This test is essential for determining how well your body, specifically your pancreas and insulin, manages the large influx of sugar that enters the bloodstream after food consumption. It assesses your body's ability to clear glucose from the blood and is a crucial tool for diagnosing and monitoring diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance (pre-diabetes).

Why Do You Need This Test?

The Glucose PP test provides critical information that the Fasting Glucose Test can miss. It is used to:

• Diagnose Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT): Identifying elevated sugar levels after eating, which is a major risk factor for developing Type 2 Diabetes.
• Determine Post-Meal Spikes: Assessing if diabetes treatment (diet, exercise, or medication) is effectively controlling the rapid rise in blood sugar that occurs after meals.
• Screen for Gestational Diabetes: The 2-hour post-glucose challenge is the standard method for screening pregnant women for gestational diabetes.
• Investigate Hypoglycemia: Diagnosing reactive hypoglycemia (low blood sugar after meals) in patients with symptoms like dizziness or confusion.