Question

An inpatient is eating breakfast when you arrive to collect a fasting glucose. What is the best thing to do?

1) Wait until the patient finishes eating and then collect the fasting glucose
2) Collect the fasting glucose immediately without waiting for the patient to finish eating
3) Ask the patient to stop eating and collect the fasting glucose
4) Inform the patient that they cannot eat until the fasting glucose is collected

Answer 1

The best course of action is to inform the patient they cannot eat until the fasting glucose has been collected because eating can interfere with the test results. A proper fasting glucose test is vital for diagnosing conditions such as diabetes mellitus.

Step-by-step explanation:

When collecting a fasting glucose test, which requires the patient to have not eaten for 12-14 hours beforehand, the best action to take if a patient is observed eating breakfast is to inform the patient that they cannot eat until the fasting glucose is collected (Option 4). The validity of a fasting glucose test is compromised if the blood is drawn after food intake because the resulting blood glucose level will reflect recent consumption rather than a true fasting state.

A correct fasting test is crucial in assessing the glucose tolerance and the insulin response of an individual which are pivotal in the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. The fasting state, also known as the postabsorptive state, is where the body relies on stored glycogen and must maintain normal blood glucose levels ranging from 80-120 mg/dL.

Therefore, to obtain an accurate result for the fasting glucose level that would indicate the body's glycogen storage and release functionality, it is essential that the patient has not consumed any calories for the prescribed period prior to the test.