glucose tolerance test
Noun: A medical procedure that measures the body's capacity to process and clear glucose from the bloodstream. It is a diagnostic tool primarily used to assess how efficiently the body metabolizes carbohydrates, aiding in the identification of conditions like diabetes mellitus and hypoglycemia.
The term is used specifically in medical and clinical contexts to refer to the standardized diagnostic procedure. - The doctor ordered a glucose tolerance test to check for gestational diabetes. - A normal result on the glucose tolerance test indicates efficient insulin function.
- After my initial blood work showed high sugar levels, I had to undergo a glucose tolerance test.
- The glucose tolerance test involves drinking a sugary solution and having blood drawn at intervals.
- A failed glucose tolerance test is a strong indicator of prediabetes.
- Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT): The most common form of the test, where glucose is ingested orally. This is often specified in medical literature to distinguish it from other, less common variants.
- The standard diagnostic criterion for type 2 diabetes is based on the results of an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test.
- OGTT: A common acronym for Oral Glucose Tolerance Test.
- Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test (IVGTT): A less common variant where glucose is administered directly into a vein, typically used in research settings.
- Carbohydrate tolerance test: A less common synonym that emphasizes the test's focus on carbohydrate metabolism.
The term "glucose tolerance test" has a single, specific meaning in medicine. It does not have general or figurative uses outside this clinical context. The "tolerance" refers to the body's physiological ability to handle a glucose load.
- test of the body's ability to metabolize carbohydrates; used in the diagnosis of hypoglycemia and diabetes mellitus