Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) Practice Exam

What condition is generally indicated by a blood sample taken 2 hours post-meal?

1. Diabetes mellitus

2. Hypoglycemia

3. Hyperglycemia

4. Dehydration

The correct answer is: Diabetes mellitus

A blood sample taken two hours after a meal is typically used to assess how well the body is managing blood glucose levels following the ingestion of food, particularly carbohydrates. In healthy individuals, blood glucose levels rise after eating and then gradually return to baseline levels. In the context of this test, if the glucose levels remain elevated beyond the normal range, this can indicate that the body is not effectively managing blood sugar levels, which is a hallmark of diabetes mellitus. The body may either not produce enough insulin or may not utilize insulin effectively, resulting in sustained hyperglycemia. While conditions like hypoglycemia and dehydration can also affect blood glucose readings, they are not directly assessed through this specific postprandial evaluation. Hyperglycemia is a state that can occur in various conditions, but it is particularly indicative of diabetes over the 2-hour post-meal timeframe. Thus, the indication of diabetes mellitus rests on the elevated glucose levels observed in the sample taken at this interval, confirming the body’s impairment in glucose regulation.