Growth hormone response to an oral glucose tolerance test

Your doctor has recommended that you take this test to help with the diagnosis and the management of your condition.

Please would you read this carefully and ask us about anything that is not clear or if you would like more information.

This test is used to check your production of a chemical messenger called growth hormone. It helps in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with acromegaly, a condition caused by excess production of growth hormone by the pituitary gland (at the base of the brain).

The test will take just over 2 hours in total.

The test will be carried out by an endocrine specialist nurse or a phlebotomist (a health care professional trained to take blood).

Please have nothing to eat or drink except water or black tea /coffee (no milk or sugar) for 10 hours before the test.

We will give you a measured amount of a glucose drink, such as Lucozade.

The nurse or phlebotomist may use a needle to insert a small plastic tube into a vein in your arm. We will use this to take blood samples without any more needles. After we have taken the first blood sample, we will give you the glucose drink (such as Lucozade). We measure your response to the test by taking more blood samples every 30 minutes for two hours. After this you are free to go home.