Metabolic panel
Fasting glucose
Measured in mg/dL
What it measures
Blood glucose concentration after an overnight fast.
Why it is tracked
A direct snapshot of glycaemic status, used alongside HbA1c. Together they describe both the current state and the longer-term average.
What a provider considers
- Requires a genuine fast to interpret
- Raised by acute illness and by some medications including corticosteroids
- Interpreted with HbA1c and fasting insulin
Reference ranges vary between laboratories and a single result rarely means much on its own. Interpretation depends on your symptoms, your other markers and the trend over time — which is what your provider reviews.