Prediabetes: Medical History and Physical Exam
Topic Overview
If your doctor suspects that you have
prediabetes, he or she may ask the following questions
about your family and medical history:
Your doctor will do a physical exam to:
- Measure your height and weight. For children
and teens, height and weight will be compared with what is considered normal
for their age groups.
- Measure your waist circumference and determine your body mass index (BMI).
- Check your
blood pressure twice: first while you are standing and again
while you are sitting.
- Check your
thyroid gland. Your doctor will check
this gland by feeling it while you swallow. Thyroid problems sometimes occur
in people who have diabetes.
- Listen to your heart and lung sounds and check your blood
flow (pulse) in your arms, legs, and feet. Your doctor also may
listen to the blood flow in your neck (carotid) arteries for evidence of plaque
buildup from
atherosclerosis.
- Check for a skin
condition called
acanthosis nigricans, which is associated with
insulin resistance.
- Check for signs of
Cushing's syndrome, a rare disorder that develops when
the body is exposed to too much of the
hormone cortisol. Some people with diabetes also have
Cushing's syndrome. Symptoms include a large percentage of body fat in the
abdominal area (central obesity), skin that appears very tan, and the
appearance of reddish stretch marks on your skin.
Credits
ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
David C.W. Lau, MD, PhD, FRCPC - Endocrinology
Current as ofMarch 21, 2017
Current as of:
March 21, 2017