CARBOHYDRATES TO

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

What is Medical Technology ?

• Medical Technology, which is a proper subset of

health technology, encompasses a wide range

of healthcare products and is used to diagnose,

monitor or treat diseases or medical conditions

affecting humans.

What is Medical Technologists ?• Medical Technologists, also known as

clinical laboratory technologists, perform

and analyze the results of complex

scientific tests on blood and body fluids.

What is carbohydrate used for in the human body?

The body uses carbohydrates directly from the monosaccharide glucose. Glucose is in the blood and extracellular fluids (lymph) and can be made from glycogen. Glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles and in smaller amounts in the other organs and tissues of the body.

THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THE TESTS PERFORMED BY MEDICAL TECHNOLOGISTS INVOLVING CARBOHYDRATES:

CARBOHYDRATES IN RELATION TO MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

Blood Glucose (sugar ) Tests

Lactose Tolerance Tests

D-Xylose Absorption

Blood Glucose TestMeasures the amount of a type of sugar (glucose) in your blood. Glucose comes from carbohydrate foods. It is the main source of energy used by the body. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body's cells use the glucose. Insulin is produced in the pancreas and released into the blood when the amount of glucose in the blood rises.Normally, your blood glucose levels increase slightly after you eat. This increase causes your pancreas to release insulin so that your blood glucose levels do not get too high. Blood glucose levels that remain high over time can damage your eyes, kidneys, nerves, and blood vessels.

There are several different types of blood glucose tests are performed by a

Medical Technologists.•Fasting blood sugar (FBS) measures blood glucose after you have not eaten for at least 8 hours. It is often the first test done to check for pre diabetes  and diabetes.

•2-hour postprandial blood sugar measures blood glucose exactly 2 hours after you start eating a meal. This is not a test used to diagnose diabetes. This test is used to see if someone with diabetes is taking the right amount of insulin with meals.

•Random blood sugar (RBS) measures blood glucose regardless of when you last ate. Several random measurements may be taken throughout the day. Random testing is useful because glucose levels in healthy people do not vary widely throughout the day. Blood glucose levels that vary widely may mean a problem. This test is also called a casual blood glucose test.

• Oral glucose tolerance test is used to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes. An oral glucose tolerance test is a series of blood glucose measurements taken after you drink a sweet liquid that contains glucose. This test is commonly used to diagnose diabetes that occurs during pregnancy . Women who had high blood sugar levels during pregnancy may have oral glucose tolerance tests after pregnancy.

• Hemoglobin A1c, or glycohemoglobin, measures how much sugar (glucose) is stuck to red blood cells. This test can be used to diagnose diabetes. It also shows how well your diabetes has been controlled in the past 2 to 3 months and whether your diabetes medicine needs to be changed. The result of your  A1c test can be used to estimate your average blood sugar level. This is called your estimated average glucose, or eAG.

Lactose Tolerance Tests

Lactose tolerance tests measure the ability of your intestines to break down a type of sugar found in milk and other dairy products called lactose. If your body cannot break down this sugar you are said to have lactose intolerance.

How the Test is Performed

Two common methods include:

•Lactose tolerance blood test (conduct by MT)

•Hydrogen breath test

The lactose tolerance blood test looks for glucose in your blood. Your body creates glucose when lactose breaks down.

For this test, several blood samples will be taken before and after you drink a liquid containing lactose.

A blood sample will be taken from a vein in your arm (Venipuncture).

Normal ResultsThe blood test is considered normal if your glucose level rises more than 30 mg/dL within 2 hours of drinking the lactose solution. A rise of 20 to 30 mg/dL is inconclusive.

Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.

What Abnormal Results Mean

Abnormal results may be a sign of lactose intolerance.

The blood test is considered abnormal if your glucose level rises less than 20 mg/dL within 2 hours of drinking the lactose solution.

An abnormal test should be followed by a glucose tolerance test to rule out a problem with the body's ability to absorb glucose.

Risks

There may be slight risks from having blood drawn.

D-xylose absorptionD-xylose absorption is a laboratory test to determine how well the intestines absorb a simple sugar (D-xylose). The test helps determine if nutrients are being properly absorbed.

How the Test is Performed

•Clean Catch Urine Specimen

•Venipuncture (Blood Drawn)

You will be asked to drink 8 ounces of water that contains 25 grams of a sugar called d-xylose. The amount of d-xylose that comes out in your urine over the next 5 hours will be measured. You may have a blood sample collected at 1 and 3 hours after drinking the liquid. The amount of urine you produce over a 5-hour period is also determined. Your health care provider will tell you how to collect all of the urine during a 5-hour period.

D-Xylose

Normal ResultsA normal result depends on how much D-xylose is given. Usually the test results are either positive or negative. A positive result means that D-xylose is found in the blood or urine and is therefore being absorbed by the intestines.

Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.

What Abnormal Results MeanLower than normal values may be seen in:

Celiac disease (sprue)Crohn's disease

Giardia lamblia infestationHookworm infestationLymphatic obstructionRadiation enteropathy

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowthViral gastroenteritisWhipple's disease

RisksVeins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight but may include:Excessive bleedingFainting or feeling light-headedHematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)

Prepared by:Mercado, Princess Cate R.Alejandrino, Ma. Lourdes F.Aspillaga, Liezel