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By Mayo Clinic staffResults of the glucose tolerance test are given in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or millimoles per liter (mmol/L).
Type 2 diabetes
If you're being tested for type 2 diabetes, two hours after drinking the glucose solution:
- A normal blood sugar level is lower than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L).
- A blood sugar level between 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) and 199 mg/dL (11 mmol/L) is considered impaired glucose tolerance or prediabetes. If you have prediabetes, you're at risk of eventually developing type 2 diabetes. You're also at risk of developing heart disease, even if you don't develop diabetes.
- A blood sugar level of 200 mg/dL or higher (11.1 mmol/L) may indicate diabetes.
If the results of your glucose tolerance test indicate type 2 diabetes, your doctor may repeat the test on another day or use another blood test to confirm the diagnosis. Various factors can affect the accuracy of the glucose tolerance test, including illness, activity level and certain medications.
Gestational diabetes
If you're being tested for gestational diabetes, your doctor will consider the results of each blood sugar test. If two or more of the tests are higher than normal, you'll be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
- One hour after drinking the glucose solution, a normal blood sugar level is lower than 180 mg/dL (10.0 mmol/L).
- Two hours after drinking the glucose solution, a normal blood sugar level is lower than 155 mg/dL (8.6 mmol/L).
- Three hours after drinking the glucose solution, a normal blood sugar level is lower than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L).
If you're diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you can prevent complications by carefully managing your blood sugar level throughout the rest of your pregnancy.