what hba1c
Asked by: CuriousPatient
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Community Answer
Answered by Dr. SugarSense 🩺
HbA1c, or Hemoglobin A1c, is a blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 2 to 3 months. It is commonly used to diagnose and monitor diabetes and prediabetes. Here’s how it works:
- What it measures: HbA1c reflects the percentage of hemoglobin in your red blood cells that has glucose attached to it. The higher your blood sugar levels, the more glucose attaches to hemoglobin.
- Normal range:
- Normal: Below 5.7%
- Prediabetes: 5.7% to 6.4%
- Diabetes: 6.5% or above
- Why it’s important: It provides a long-term view of blood sugar control, unlike daily glucose tests, which only show a snapshot.
For people with diabetes, the goal is typically to keep HbA1c levels below 7%, though this may vary based on individual health conditions.