For those who have not been diagnosed before, this may mean that they have pre-diabetes or diabetes.Īll people have some glycated hemoglobin within their red blood cells, and a lower percentage is considered normal. For people with diabetes, this means the disease is not well-controlled. A higher percentage of red blood cells containing glycated hemoglobin means that a person has higher levels of blood sugar in their bloodstream. Thus, the hemoglobin A1C test results show how much glycated hemoglobin has built up in a person’s bloodstream during the previous three months. The hemoglobin A1C test measures the percentage of red blood cells in the bloodstream that have glucose attached to hemoglobin. Once linked, glucose and hemoglobin become what’s called “glycated hemoglobin,” also known as A1C. When blood sugar encounters red blood cells, it attaches itself to hemoglobin, where it remains. Another substance, blood sugar (glucose), which comes from food sources, also travels through the bloodstream. Hemoglobin is responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body, from the lungs to other organs and body parts. Red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin, which gives blood its red color. This is possible because red blood cells live for an average of three months. Rather, the test gives doctors insights into the overall state of their blood sugar levels during the three-month period leading up to the test. Interestingly, although a patient may provide a blood sample on a single day, the A1C test doesn’t provide details about their blood sugar levels on that particular day. Hemoglobin A1C is a blood test that provides doctors with information about a person’s blood sugar levels. “In addition, it provides us with a great way to monitor treatment effects and progress over time.” “The A1C test is a great way for physicians to get an initial sense of someone's average glucose level over the three months before the test,” says Yale Medicine endocrinologist Raimund Herzog, MD, MHS. They’ll need to have their blood sugar levels checked with a hemoglobin A1C test every 3 to 6 months, depending on how well they’re able to control their diabetes. Those diagnosed with diabetes during a screening hemoglobin A1C test should work with their doctors to manage the chronic condition. Those who are found to have pre-diabetes should be retested every one to two years. People of any age with diabetes risk factors whose test results are in the normal range should be tested again every three years. The test may also be administered to overweight people with diabetes risk factors who are younger than 45. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all adults ages 45 and older should receive a hemoglobin A1C test to assess their risk of pre-diabetes or diabetes. The test not only helps diabetes patients know if they are managing their blood sugar levels well it also helps doctors provide a diagnosis of diabetes or pre-diabetes to those who are unaware they have the condition. Over time uncontrolled diabetes can lead to a host of serious health issues, so it’s important for those with diabetes to keep their blood sugar levels in a healthy range-meaning it’s neither too low nor too high.Ī hemoglobin A1C test is a blood test that can provide information about average blood sugar levels. (Insulin is a hormone that helps the cells in our bodies take up glucose in our blood, which we use for energy.) More than 34 million Americans have diabetes, meaning their bodies either do not produce insulin or can’t use it properly.
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