Type 2 Diabetes: Who Should Get Screened, and How Easy It Is
Roughly one in three people with type 2 diabetes doesn’t know they have it — the early years are usually silent. Finding it early protects your heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves.
Get screened every 3 years starting at age 40 — earlier and more often if you have a parent or sibling with diabetes, high blood pressure, extra weight around the middle, diabetes during a past pregnancy, or South Asian, African, Hispanic, or Indigenous background (higher risk groups).
The test is simple: one blood test (HbA1c or fasting glucose) at any Calgary lab — no appointment needed at most locations, and our clinic offers walk-in blood draws.
Warning signs worth a visit sooner: unusual thirst, urinating often, blurred vision, slow-healing cuts, or unexplained fatigue.
If your numbers come back borderline (“prediabetes”), that is good news in disguise: caught at that stage, diabetes can often be delayed or prevented. Our diabetes education clinic can build you a plan.
Please note: this article reflects current medical guidance at the time of its last review (August 2026). Medical recommendations change as new evidence emerges — for the most up-to-date advice about your own health, always talk to your health-care provider, or call Health Link Alberta at 811. This information is general education, not personal medical advice. © Grace Medical Clinic, Calgary.
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