| Definition : A decision as to the cause of some symptoms or problem. A goal of most physicians is to eliminate as many possible causes as possible (the ‘diagnostic differential tree’) and so make a diagnosis. Reaching this point suggests a course of treatment. Mistaken diagnoses are sometimes very serious problems as physicians concentrate on treatment after a diagnosis is reached, not retracing the diagnostic analysis. Ideally, diagnoses are always correct, but disease variations are such that they are sometimes in error. In the case of diabetes, the tests are very clear. If you do not have high blood glucose at times (eg, when fasting), you shouldn’t be diagnosed as diabetic. Every one has higher glucose levels for one or two hours after eating food which contains some types of carbohydrates. |