A1c how does it work

Early treatment can improve your outlook. Diabetes leg pain and cramps often occur as a result of damaged nerves. Learn how different treatments can help relieve symptoms. Diabetic blisters are rare, but there are steps you can take to treat and prevent them. The risk factors for type 2 diabetes are complex and range from genetic to environmental to lifestyle choices.

Learn more. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Type 2 Diabetes. What to do about high levels How to manage levels Takeaway People with diabetes used to depend on daily finger pricks to measure their blood sugar levels. What does the A1C test for diabetes measure? About A1C levels. Share on Pinterest Print. How does an A1C test for diabetes work?

What can affect your A1C results? Who should get an A1C test for diabetes? What to do if levels are high. How to manage A1C levels. Read this next. Diabetes Alternative Treatments.

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The NGSP provides information for health care professionals about which A1C tests are appropriate to use for specific hemoglobin variants. Read about diabetes blood tests for people of African, Mediterranean, or Southeast Asian descent. Even when the same blood sample is repeatedly measured in the same lab, the results may vary because of small changes in temperature, equipment, or sample handling. Health care professionals understand these variations and repeat lab tests for confirmation.

Diabetes develops over time, so even with variations in test results, health care professionals can tell when overall blood glucose levels are becoming too high.

When repeated, the A1C test result can be slightly higher or lower than the first measurement. This means, for example, an A1C reported as 6. Health care professionals can visit www. Your health care professional may use the A1C test to set your treatment goals, modify therapy, and monitor your diabetes management.

Experts recommend that people with diabetes have an A1C test at least twice a year. People will have different A1C targets, depending on their diabetes history and their general health. You should discuss your A1C target with your health care professional. Studies have shown that some people with diabetes can reduce the risk of diabetes complications by keeping A1C levels below 7 percent.

Managing blood glucose early in the course of diabetes may provide benefits for many years to come. However, an A1C level that is safe for one person may not be safe for another. For example, keeping an A1C level below 7 percent may not be safe if it leads to problems with hypoglycemia , also called low blood glucose.

Less strict blood glucose control, or an A1C between 7 and 8 percent—or even higher in some circumstances—may be appropriate in people who have. Estimated average glucose eAG is calculated from your A1C. Some laboratories report eAG with A1C test results.

The eAG number helps you relate your A1C to daily glucose monitoring levels. Even though A1C results represent a long-term average, blood glucose levels within the past 30 days have a greater effect on the A1C reading than those in previous months.

Clinical trials are part of clinical research and at the heart of all medical advances. Clinical trials look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease. Scientists are conducting research to learn more about diabetes, including studies about A1C.

For example. Researchers also use clinical trials to look at other aspects of care, such as improving the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses. Find out if clinical trials are right for you. Clinical trials that are currently open and are recruiting can be viewed at www.

The NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Why should a person get the A1C test? How is the A1C test used to diagnose type 2 diabetes and prediabetes?

Is the A1C test used during pregnancy? It works by measuring how much glucose sugar is clinging to the hemoglobin in your blood cells.

Hemoglobin is the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen to other cells. The higher your blood glucose level, the more glucose will be attached to the hemoglobin, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The result is your A1C, which is reported as a percentage. A normal A1C level is below 5. Even though the usefulness of A1C is up for debate , the general consensus in the medical community, and the recommendation of the American Diabetes Association Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes , is that your healthcare provider should measure your A1C two to three times a year.

It matters because lowering A1C can reduce complications of the eyes, kidneys, and nerves of people with type 2 diabetes, according to a large study called the UK Prospective Diabetes Study.

Some blood disorders can make the A1C test less accurate. For example, African Americans with sickle-cell trait, an inherited red blood disorder, can have lower A1C readings compared with those without sickle-cell trait, according to a study published in February in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

In other words, the A1C test may underestimate the actual number, say the authors. Other conditions can affect A1C, such as undergoing dialysis , which is a treatment to filter your blood when your kidneys fail.

In those cases, your provider may use a different test to measure your blood glucose, says Veronica Brady, PhD , a nurse practitioner and certified diabetes educator at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Reno. Your ethnicity might also affect your A1C.

Many people with diabetes who are not pregnant will aim for an A1C of 7 or below.