If performing a GTT and a patient's fasting sugar is ______ the physician or nurse should be notified before proceeding.

If performing a GTT and a patient's fasting sugar is ______ the physician or nurse should be notified before proceeding.

• A. Below 80 mg/dl
• B. Between 80 and 120 mg/dl
• C. Both below 80 mg/dl and above 120 mg/dl
• D. Above 150 mg/dl

Answer: (C)

Starting a glucose tolerance test relies on a normal, stable fasting glucose to ensure the test shows how the body responds to a glucose load rather than starting from an abnormal baseline. If the fasting value is too low (below 80 mg/dL), the patient may be hypoglycemic, and beginning the test could provoke symptoms or complicate interpretation. If the fasting value is too high (above 120 mg/dL), the baseline already indicates dysregulated glucose metabolism, which would skew the test results and make them unreliable. Because both situations can affect safety and accuracy, the physician or nurse should be notified before proceeding when the fasting sugar falls outside the 80–120 mg/dL range. They can decide whether to repeat the fast, adjust plans, or cancel the test as appropriate.

Starting a glucose tolerance test relies on a normal, stable fasting glucose to ensure the test shows how the body responds to a glucose load rather than starting from an abnormal baseline. If the fasting value is too low (below 80 mg/dL), the patient may be hypoglycemic, and beginning the test could provoke symptoms or complicate interpretation. If the fasting value is too high (above 120 mg/dL), the baseline already indicates dysregulated glucose metabolism, which would skew the test results and make them unreliable. Because both situations can affect safety and accuracy, the physician or nurse should be notified before proceeding when the fasting sugar falls outside the 80–120 mg/dL range. They can decide whether to repeat the fast, adjust plans, or cancel the test as appropriate.