Diabetes is a condition that causes blood glucose levels to be elevated. Monitoring blood glucose helps diabetics avoid some of the complications of this disease, which include heart disease and vision problems. Blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c tests are two different blood tests that can be for diabetics.
A1c Identification
A1c is a derivative of a protein called hemoglobin, Medline reports. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that lets them bind to and transport oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body. Hemoglobin A1c has been bound to glucose via a process known as glycation. The amount of hemoglobin A1c depends on the concentration of glucose in the blood.
Test Comparison
A1c and glucose tests are two different tests that can be used to measure blood sugar levels in diabetics. Glucose testing, as the National Diabetes Education Program explains, measures the amount of glucose in the patient's blood at the time of the test. Glucose tests give results in terms of the glucose concentration. The A1c test, on the other hand, gives an indication of the patient's blood glucose levels over the past three months because that is the average lifespan of a red blood cell. The results of an A1c test are given as a percentage of the hemoglobin molecules that are hemoglobin A1c.
Use of Glucose Testing
Glucose testing, as the National Diabetes Education Program explains, can be used as a diagnostic test for diabetes. This is most commonly done via the fasting glucose test, in which the patient's blood glucose is measured after the patient has not eaten for eight hours. The patient can then be given a set amount of glucose to see how his blood glucose levels change in response to glucose. Patients can also monitor their blood glucose levels multiple times during the day to see how certain foods and activities affect their glucose levels.
A1c Use
A1c levels are most commonly used to measure how well a patient's diabetes is being managed. This test gives a good indication of the patient's diabetic control over the past several months. This is important because blood glucose levels can fluctuate in a few hours, but A1c levels are more stable.
A1c Diagnostic Test
According to a 2009 article in "Diabetes Forecast," The A1C Test for Diagnosis,"physicians may begin to use A1c levels as a way of diagnosing diabetes. A committee made up of members of various foundations that study diabetes has recommended that patients with A1c levels above 6.5 percent be diagnosed with diabetes, as this indicates glucose levels that can cause health complications.
