what is the meaning of hba1c in blood test
Asked by: CuriousPatient123
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Community Answer
Answered by Dr. Emily 🩺
HbA1c, or Hemoglobin A1c, is a blood test that measures your average blood sugar (glucose) levels over the past 2 to 3 months. It is also known as the A1C test or glycated hemoglobin test. Here’s what it means:
- How it works: Glucose in your blood attaches to hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells. The HbA1c test measures the percentage of hemoglobin that is coated with sugar.
- Why it’s important: It helps diagnose prediabetes and diabetes, and monitors how well you are managing your blood sugar if you have diabetes.
- Normal ranges:
- Normal: Below 5.7%
- Prediabetes: 5.7% to 6.4%
- Diabetes: 6.5% or higher
This test is crucial because it provides a long-term view of blood sugar control, unlike daily glucose tests that only show a snapshot of your levels at a single moment.