DEPARTMENT NAME DOCUMENT NO.

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE Chemistry

Department of Laboratory DATE OF ORIGINAL ISSUE: DATE OF LASTAMMENDMENT:
Dec 20 / 2004
TITLE: ORIGINATOR: APPROVED BY:
Glucose Tolerance Test Dr. Andrew Phan

SCOPE:
All laboratory technicians/technologists licensed in chemistry.

PRINCIPLE:
The glucose tolerance test is used to confirm suspected diagnosis of hyperglyce
mia or hypoglycemia in the patient. A measured amount (70 grams) of glucose
is given to the fasting patient and subsequent timed specimens for glucose are c
ollected. The patient's utilization of the glucose given is determined during the
test, which can be three, four, or five hours duration.

PREPARATION:
For three days prior to the test a diet containing at least 150g per day of carboh
ydrates is required. The patient must fast for 12 hours prior to the test, with no
intake of food or drink except water. Smoking and mild exercise are not permit
ted. All over-the-counter medications should be avoided.

AVAILABLE TESTING TIME:

Outpatient by appointment only, Monday – Friday, 8:00am.
In-patient any day starting at 8:00am.
SPECIMEN COLLECTION:
Blood sample is collected in the Sodium Fluoride tube at the following interval
s:
 Fasting Patient should be NPO 12 hours prior to testing.
1/2 Hour Patient is drawn 30 minutes after ingestion of glucose solution
.
1 Hour Drawn 60 minutes after glucose ingestion.
1 1/2Hour Drawn 90 minutes after glucose ingestion.
2 Hour Drawn 120 minutes after glucose ingestion.
2 1/2Hour Drawn 150 minutes after glucose ingestion.
Urine Specimens are also to be collected. ( Fasting,1/2 Hr,1 Hr,1 1/2Hr,2 Hr,2
1/2Hr )
PRECAUTIONS:
If nausea, fainting, sweating, or other nervous system over-activity occurs a spe
cimen for glucose should be drawn and the test discontinued. Notify the physic
ian and the pathologist immediately
MATERIALS
1. Phlebotomy equipment for blood collections. (Refer to phlebotomy manual
for specifics)
2. Commercially prepared 70-gram glucose solution
.
PROCEDURE
1. Patients should be fasting at least 12 hours prior to testing. As
k the patient if they are fasting at the onset. If they have eaten,
the test must be rescheduled and the physician notified.
2. Inform the patient of the length of the test and that nothing is to
be eaten until the test is completed. (The patient is permitted t
o have small drinks of water during the test.)
3. Collect a fasting blood glucose specimen for immediate testing
by the chemistry technologist. The glucose solution should not
be given until the chemistry technologist indicates that the test
should proceed. The fasting blood glucose must be 130 mg/dl
or less to proceed with the test. If the fasting blood glucose is
greater than 130 mg/dl, the physician must be contacted for per
mission to either proceed or cancel the test.
4. Upon OK by technologist prepare glucose solution (70g) in a d
isposable cup.
5 .Have the patient ingest the glucose solution within 5 minutes
. Note the time

. Dosage
Non-pregnant adults 7 oz
Pregnant women 10 oz
Children 0.175 oz per kilogram of body weight (
up to 7.5 oz)
.
6. Make duplicate lists of blood collection times based on the tim
e that the patient has finished ingestion of the glucose beverage
. One copy of the collection times list should be left with the n
urse responsible for the patient and the other retained by the ph
lebotomist.
7. Each collected specimen must be properly labeled with collecti
on time and the hour of the test (fasting, 1/2 Hour, etc.).
8. All collected specimens are brought to the chemistry lab for tes
ting without delay to ensure accurate results.
9. Follow the procedure for the Vitros 250 analyzer to perform th
e testing.
QUALITY CONTROL
Procedures for quality control are found in the procedure for each i
nstrument used.

REFERENCES
.