Glycosylated Hemoglobin (A1c)


A glycosylated hemoglobin A1c reading (called HbA1c, Hemoglobin A1c, A1 and A1c) reveals your average blood glucose level over the past two-to-three months and can be used to evaluate your control and predict your risk for diabetes complications.


How does it do that? Your body actually memorizes the trail that glucose leaves in your system. When blood glucose is high, the glucose (sugar) molecules attach themselves to red blood cells. The red blood cells store the sugar information for about four months. A blood test can then retrieve your average blood glucose results in the format of a percentage. The greater your A1c value, the higher your risk for diabetes complications.


Does an A1c take the place of daily blood glucose testing? No, the two complement each other and can work together. A self-test with a meter can let you know your blood glucose level is at a specific point in time - and that’ s often the easiest and most practical way to see how food, exercise and daily living are impacting your diabetes.


And, by comparing your daily blood glucose levels to A1c results, you and your doctor can determine how well your diabetes is being controlled over time - and establish ways to control it even further.


Compare your daily results to a quarterly A1c test.


The American Diabetes Association recommends an A1c of 7% or lower. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists recommends an A1c of 6.5% or lower.


Talk to your doctor to set a personal A1c target level for you that can be achieved by acting on the information you get from regular, daily blood glucose testing.


The lower your daily blood glucose test results, the better your A1c result-which means you're taking charge of your diabetes through proper diet, exercise and medication.


The lower your daily blood glucose test results, the more you prevent or delay diabetes complications. For each one-percentage reduction in A1c, there is a 25 percent reduction in diabetes-related complications.

* Blood glucose values are shown as mean plasma glucose.