Prediabetes

Prediabetes means your blood sugar is higher than normal and not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. It is the body’s early warning that the way it handles blood sugar is changing, and it raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The encouraging part is that prediabetes can often be reversed, and acting early makes a real difference. Avita MD primary care providers diagnose and manage prediabetes for adults in Los Altos, Mountain View, and Los Gatos.

What are the symptoms of prediabetes?

Most people with prediabetes have no symptoms at all, which is why it so often goes unnoticed. Blood testing is the only reliable way to find it.

• Usually no symptoms, so testing is what catches it
• Darkened patches of skin on the neck, armpits, or groin
• Small skin growths in areas where skin folds
• Increased thirst or more frequent urination if blood sugar rises further
• Fatigue

Diagnostic ranges

Test	Normal	Prediabetes	Diabetes
A1C	Below 5.7%	5.7% to 6.4%	6.5% or higher
Fasting blood glucose	99 mg/dL or below	100 to 125 mg/dL	126 mg/dL or higher
Oral glucose tolerance	139 mg/dL or below	140 to 199 mg/dL	200 mg/dL or higher

How does Avita MD diagnose and treat prediabetes?

Diagnosis is straightforward and starts with a blood test, most often an A1C or a fasting blood glucose. Because Avita MD has on-site labs at every location, testing is convenient and your results come back without an extra trip. If your numbers fall in the prediabetes range, your provider explains what they mean and builds a plan with you.

Management centers on changes that work, including modest weight loss, regular physical activity, and a healthier eating plan, and your Avita MD provider tracks your A1C and weight over time so you can see progress. Same-day and next-day appointments make it easy to get started and stay on schedule. When weight is a major factor, your provider can connect care with the practice’s medical weight loss services, and when blood sugar keeps rising, medication may be added and specialty referrals coordinated to keep type 2 diabetes from developing.

When should you see a doctor about prediabetes?

See a primary care provider for a blood sugar check if you are overweight, are age 35 or older, have a family history of diabetes, had gestational diabetes, or have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, since prediabetes usually causes no symptoms and screening is the only way to find it. If you have already been told you have prediabetes, regular follow-up matters so your provider can track your numbers and adjust the plan. Seek prompt care if you develop increased thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision, or unexplained fatigue, since these can signal that blood sugar has risen into the diabetes range.