What is HbA1c ?

Among the various blood tests, HbA1c is the most useful test to get an average blood sugar level for diabetics. It can be said that it’s a useful tool to identify as well as measure the long-term blood sugar control.

What is Diabetes ?

Diabetes is a disorder in which a person has high blood glucose levels (blood sugar) causing fatigue, unexplained weight loss, excessive thirst, increased hunger, frequent urination, poor wound healing, and blurred vision.

What is HbA1c ?

Hemoglobin A1c is often abbreviated as HbA1c and is found attached to RBCs. Hemoglobin gives blood its red color. It is a chemical substance which is found in red blood cells and helps to carry oxygen to different parts of the body.

Some benefits of HbA1c test for diabetes are:

• HbA1c test reflects how well your diabetes is controlled.
• Also, it helps in the monitoring diabetes treatment plan.
• It helps to study the effect of medications, exercise, or dietary changes that a diabetic patient is going through.

How HbA1c test is done ?

HbA1c is a reliable marker which uses blood sample to measure the blood glucose in the body. This test is ideal for evaluating consecutive blood glucose levels of last three months (lifespan of RBCs). Because HbA1c is not affected by short-term fluctuations in blood glucose concentrations, blood sample can be drawn from the patient irrespective of when the patient has eaten meal. Fasting for this not necessary.

What does high and low values in HbA1c test indicate?

For people with diabetes, the maintenance of normal range of blood sugar in hemoglobin A1c test is very crucial as slight increase or decrease may prove to be harmful.

High Hemoglobin A1c levels means that the person have a higher chance of getting diabetes. Raised blood sugar levels in a diabetic may put them at high risk of heart diseases. However, planned diet, regular exercise and medication may help to bring your sugar level down to a greater extent.

Not everything that is convenient and cheap will get you the right end result; A little compromise on quality may end up becoming your long-haul struggle!