HBA1C

Does your blood sugar level ever rise and sometimes normal? Do you want to know how your sugar level has been in the last 2 to 3 months? In such a situation, the doctor may recommend an HbA1c test. The HbA1c test (glycated hemoglobin test) is an important blood test that uses the help of detecting the average blood sugar level of the last 2 to 3 months. This test helps in identifying diabetes and monitoring blood sugar control in people with pre-existing diabetes. Nowadays, diabetes is becoming a common health problem. In such a situation, getting a timely HbA1c test is a useful way to understand the status of your blood sugar. In this article, know what the HbA1c test is, what should be its normal range, what does high and low result mean, and how often should this test be done. 1. What is an HbA1c test and why is it performed? The full name of HbA1c is Glycated Hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein found in our red blood cells, which carries oxygen to different parts of the body. When glucose is present in our blood, some of it is attached to hemoglobin. HbA1c is formed by this process. This test measures what percentage of your hemoglobin is linked to glucose. Since red blood cells live for about 120 days, the HbA1c test gives an estimate of the average blood sugar of the last 2 to 3 months. Why is the HbA1c test done? The doctor may recommend an HbA1c test for the following reasons: To identify type 2 diabetes. To find out the condition of pre-diabetes. To know the average blood sugar level of the last 2 to 3 months. To check sugar control in diabetic patients. To treat diabetes and understand the effect of medications. To help assess the risk of diabetes-related health problems in the future. Note: The HbA1c test does not just provide information on a day’s blood sugar but also helps in understanding the average sugar level over a long period of time. 2. What should be the HbA1c normal range? The HbA1c test report comes in percentage (%). Based on this percentage, the doctor can understand whether your blood sugar is normal, pre-diabetic, or falls under the category of diabetes. The common diagnostic range of HbA1c is as follows: HbA1c Result Status Below 5.7% Normal 5.7% to 6.4% Prediabetes 6.5% or higher Diabetes