The hemoglobin A1c test reveals your average blood sugar level over the previous two to three months. Glycated hemoglobin test, HbA1c, and glycohemoglobin are further names for it. It resembles the season batting average of a baseball player. You cannot determine a player’s career performance from one game. Additionally, more than one day’s test results are need to represent how well your therapy fully functions.
To check whether their blood sugar levels are maintain within normal range, people with diabetes need this test regularly. It might indicate if you need to modify your diabetic medication. Diabetes may also be identified with the A1c test.
How Does Haemoglobin Work?
Red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin. It is responsible for giving blood its red color and for transporting oxygen throughout your body.
How the Test Functions
Your blood sugar is known as glucose. Hemoglobin in your red blood cells binds to glucose when it accumulates in your blood. The A1c test calculates the amount of attached glucose.
The test displays the average blood glucose level over the last three months since red blood cells have an average lifespan of roughly three months.
Your hemoglobin A1c test will be more significant if your glucose levels have elevated over the last several weeks.
What Does a Typical Hemoglobin A1c Test Show?
Hemoglobin A1c levels for adults without diabetes should fall between 4% and 5.6%. You have prediabetes and an increased risk of developing diabetes if your hemoglobin A1c is 5.7% to 6.4%. Diabetes is diagnose when levels reach 6.5% or above.
Setting A1c Level Objectives
For diabetics, a goal A1c level is typically less than 7%. The chance of developing diabetes-related problems increases with increasing hemoglobin A1c levels. A level exceeding 8% may be seen in someone with long-term untreated diabetes.
If you have diabetes and your blood sugar level is higher than it should be, your doctor may adjust your therapy to lower it.
Your levels may be lower with a mixture of diet, exercise, and medication.
Every three months, people with diabetes should obtain an A1c test to ensure their blood sugar is within the recommended range. You may be able to go longer between blood tests if your diabetes is well-control. However, authorities advise inspecting at least twice a year.
This test may provide false findings in individuals with disorders that impact hemoglobin, such as anemia. Supplements containing vitamins C and E and excessive cholesterol levels are additional factors that might affect the hemoglobin A1c test results. The test may be impact by liver and kidney diseases as well.
What Frequency Is the Test Required?
As soon as you are tell you have diabetes, your doctor usually wants you to do the A1c test. If your doctor believes you might develop diabetes, you will also have the test. The test will provide a baseline level to assess your blood sugar management.
Following that, it relies on several factors, including:
- Your particular kind of diabetes
- Your blood sugar control
- Your course of action
If you have prediabetes, which increases your risk of developing diabetes, you will likely undergo testing once a year.
If you have type 2 diabetes, don’t use insulin, and your blood sugar levels are often within the target range, you could be checking twice a year.
If you have type 1 diabetes, you could get it thrice a year.
If your diabetes treatment plan changes or if you start a new medication, you could also need the test more often.
This is not a fasting test. You may take it whenever you like, either before or after meals.