In 2013, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
approved the first A1C test for diagnosing diabetes. The HbA1C test, or
"A1C" test for short, is a blood sugar test that measures a person's
average blood sugar levels over the previous two or three months. Hemoglobin
(Hb) is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen, and the A1C test
measures how much sugar has “stuck” to those cells. The A1C test is a
complement to the daily blood sugar monitoring that people with type 2 diabetes
take at home on their own. The A1C test can be described as taking a semester
exam versus a daily quiz. Blood is
sometime taken through a finger prick at
a doctor’s office or ordered as lab work and drawn through a vein.
The
person going for this blood test does not need to fast. The A1C test can tell
if blood sugar levels are close to normal or too high. It provides an
indication of blood sugar control. The A1C test can help predict the risk of
developing long-term, diabetes-related complications. It is important to set
and meet A1C goals. Together, A1C results and daily blood monitoring help
physicians make adjustments to the management plan for a person for both type 1
and 2 diabetes. Iron deficiency anemia
is associated with a higher A1C. Blood loss from surgery, heavy menstrual
cycles, and other types of anemia may cause an A1C
to be falsely low.
The American Association of Clinical
Endocrinologists (AACE) recommends people with type 2 diabetes reach an A1C
goal of 6.5% or less. Achieving this goal is important, since every 1% increase
above 6% elevates the risk of diabetes-related complications such as stroke,
heart attack and loss of limbs. It is important, however, that people with type
2 diabetes speak with their doctor or other healthcare professional about
setting their own personal A1C goal. It is possible to lower your A1C by making
small lifestyle changes, like adding more exercise to your routine, or eating
low carb meals and snacks.
Depending on A1C levels, a doctor (such as an
endocrinologist who specializes in diabetes care) or other healthcare
professional may prescribe medicine(s) particularly when diet and exercise are
not working adequately, to help manage type 2 diabetes. A combination of drug
therapies that work in different ways may be prescribed to help improve blood
sugar control.
“I’m at a slightly higher risk for type 2 diabetes, and my
grandmother had diabetes. My hemoglobin A1C, which is one of the measures,
started being a little high when I was drinking a ton of that coconut water.” (Anne Wojcicki) [i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“10
Facts You May Not Know About Hemoglobin A1C”by Jessica Apple
·
“Facts about A1C” By Clara Schneider
·
“THE
FACTS ABOUT A1C” by NFB
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