According to the 2007 National Diabetes Fact Sheet put out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 18 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes and another 57 million are at an increased risk of developing diabetes or are pre-diabetic. This overwhelming statistic paints a picture of the importance of the hemoglobin A1c test to quickly, safely and accurately measure a person's risk for developing diabetes as well control glucose levels if he or she has diabetes.
What Is Hemoglobin A1c?
Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is the term used to described a glycated hemoglobin molecule. In more general terms, this refers to a red blood cell that is bound to a glucose (sugar) molecule. Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying molecule inside red blood cells that also has a high affinity for glucose molecules in the blood. When there is excess glucose in the blood, as is the case in people with diabetes, the glucose molecules begin sticking to the hemoglobin molecules of the red blood cells. The more excess glucose in the blood, the more that will be bound to the red blood cells.
What Is the A1c Test?
An A1c test is a health test that measures the percentage of glycated hemoglobin molecules. Since the average lifespan of a red blood cell is approximately 120 days, the test is able to take a snapshot of the body's average blood glucose levels for the previous two to three months, or approximately the lifespan of the red blood cell. The test requires only a small drop of blood for the sample, and a person does not have to be fasting, thus making it a quick and easy way to measure a person's average blood sugar levels.
What Is a Normal A1c Value?
A1c test results are presented as a percentage in the range of approximately 4% to 14%. In December 2009, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) released new guidelines recommending the hemoglobin A1c test as a diagnosis tool for diabetes as well as pre-diabetes, a condition in which glucose levels are elevated but not high enough to be diabetes. The ADA's guidelines state a diabetes diagnosis for A1c values greater than or equal to 6.5%, and a diagnosis of pre-diabetes between 5.7% and 6.4%. Thus, for a person without diabetes, a normal A1c value will be in the range of 4% to 5.6%. Diabetic patients should aim for an A1c value of less than 7%.
How Often Should I Be Tested?
Testing frequency varies depending on whether a person has diabetes, pre-diabetes or normal blood sugar levels. If a person has normal blood sugar levels, he should be tested at least every several years to be sure he is maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Pre-diabetic patients should be tested every six months to a year, as monitoring blood sugar levels often is important to assess if lifestyle changes are helping to prevent diabetes from developing, or to catch it early if it does develop. Diabetics should have their A1c values measured every three to six months to accurately assess their level of blood glucose control.
Benefits of the A1c Test
The A1c test has proven to be a beneficial health test for practitioners. The test allows a practitioner to assess and monitor a patient's overall glycemic control to determine if a treatment plan is working or needs adjustment. The test also provides a quick and easy way to measure a patient's risk for developing diabetes or to make a diagnosis of diabetes as compared to a fasting glucose test or glucose tolerance test.
