April 28, 2006 -- The U.S. government reports that most adults with diabetes aren't getting three annual medical tests recommended for diabetes patients.

Those three tests are:

• Hemoglobin A1c: A blood test that checks average blood sugar level for the past two to three months.
• Dilated eye exam: An eye care professional uses eye drops to temporarily widen, or dilate, the black part of the patient's eyes (pupils) to see inside the eyes. Uncontrolled diabetes can damage the eyes, harming vision and possibly leading to blindness. Diabetes is the leading cause of adult blindness in the U.S.
• Foot exam: A check of the foot's nerves and blood circulation. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to foot problems that may eventually require amputation. Diabetes causes most of the nontraumatic amputations in the U.S.

Who Got Tested

In 2003, about 14 million civilian, noninstitutionalized U.S. adults were reported to have diabetes diagnosed by their doctor. Nearly 42% of them got all three tests, the researchers estimate.

About 50% got one or two tests. About 5% didn't get any of the tests. The rest didn't know if they had gotten those tests or not.

So says a report by Anita Soni, PhD, of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The AHRQ is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

People who got all three tests were more likely to be white, to have medical insurance, and to be 65 or older, the report shows.

As of 2005, about 6 million people in the U.S. didn't know they had diabetes, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The NIDDK is a branch of the National Institutes of Health.

Doctors can check for diabetes with a simple blood test. Being overweight and having a family history of diabetes may make diabetes more likely.

Must-Have Medical Tests for People With Diabetes

The NIDDK lists these tests that people with diabetes should get:

• Hemoglobin A1c test: Get this test at least twice a year. It checks your average blood sugar over the past two to three months.
• Blood lipid (fats) test: A blood test of cholesterol and triglycerides.
• Kidney function tests: Get a urine test that checks for protein in urine at least once a year. Get a blood test for creatinine, a waste product, at least once a year. These tests screen for kidney problems.
• Blood pressure: Get your blood pressure checked at every medical appointment.
• Dilated eye exam: See an eye care professional once a year for a complete eye exam.
• Foot exam: At every medical appointment, get your feet's nerves and blood circulation.

Caring for your teeth and monitoring your weight are also important for people with diabetes (and for everyone else).

SOURCES: Soni, A. Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Statistical Brief #105, December 2005, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: "Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Eyes Healthy." National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: "National Diabetes Statistics." National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: "Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Diabetes Under Control." News release, Agency on Healthcare Research and Quality.