The A1c Test - Diabetes and the A1c Test

16 Jun

Posted by admin as Uncategorized

But what exactly is the A1c test? How is it carried out and why should a person with diabetes always be aware of what their A1c level is?

Diabetes occurs when the sugar (glucose) level in the blood is too high. Insulin is the hormone responsible for keeping blood sugar levels within a normal healthy range. Diabetes can occur if the body cannot make insulin (type 1 diabetes) or if the body can make it, but it does not function properly (type 2 diabetes).

How It Works:

You know from the name that the test measures something called A1C. You may wonder what it has to do with your blood sugar control. Hemoglobin is found inside red blood cells. Its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to all the cells of the body. Hemoglobin, like all proteins, links up with sugars such as glucose.You know that when you have uncontrolled diabetes you have too much sugar in your bloodstream. This extra glucose enters your red blood cells and links up (or glycates) with molecules of hemoglobin. The more excess glucose in your blood, the more hemoglobin gets glycated. It is possible to measure the percentage of A1C in the blood. The result is an overview of your average blood glucose control for the past few months.

Critical Diabetes Test - A1C - Proven To Be Accurate Average Glucose:

A mathematical relationship between the average glucose level over the preceding three months and levels of the A1C test, thus yielding translation of the A1C for reporting as estimated average glucose (eAG), was proven in an international study published online in the August issue of Diabetes Care. A1C has been used for more than 25 years as the major measure of glucose control and to establish targets for diabetes therapy

How Often Is an A1c Test Necessary?

People with diabetes should have their A1c tested every three months; if blood sugars are fairly stable at near-normal levels, twice a year may be enough. Health care providers should tell patients what is right for them and enable them to monitor their diabetes management more easily. More frequent A1c tests may be recommended if someone has recently changed his or her treatment plan.

Test Your A1c Blood Sugar:

The tests you do at home show your blood sugar level at that moment. The A1c test shows your average blood sugar level over the past two or three months. It’s the best way to see how well your diabetes is controlled.It usually takes two to three months to see changes in your A1c. So, you may get this test two to four times a year, depending on how well your Treatment Plan is working. The A1c blood test is usually done at your doctor’s office.

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Blood Test:

The HbA1c blood test — also called glycosylated hemoglobin, glycohemoglobin or A1c — estimates how well blood sugar has been controlled during the previous three to four months.Over time, glucose attaches to tissues in the body. The HbA1c test measures the percentage of hemoglobin molecules in the red blood cells that have glucose attached. Since red blood cells last an average of four months before the body makes new blood cells, this test can indicate the average blood glucose levels over the life span of the blood cells being tested.

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