what is hbac
Asked by: CuriousPatient123
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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 (a protein in 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 higher
- Why it’s important: Unlike daily blood sugar tests, which provide a snapshot of your glucose levels at a single moment, HbA1c gives a broader picture of long-term blood sugar control.
For people with diabetes, maintaining an HbA1c level below 7% is generally recommended to reduce the risk of complications.