If you are diabetic or at risk of diabetes, your doctor will likely periodically have you take what is known as an HbA1c test. This is an important test when you are trying to control your blood glucose levels. The University of California, San Francisco's Children's Hospital states that the HbA1c test measures the percentage of hemoglobin cells in the blood that have glucose attached to them. This provides an estimate of your blood glucose levels over the past three months. A normal HbA1c reading for a person who does not have diabetes will be less than 6 percent. Diabetics who are trying to control their blood glucose levels normally aim for a reading of less than 7 percent. In order to avoid the long term complications of diabetes, it is vitally important to keep your blood glucose levels under tight control. The National Institutes of Health indicates that these complications include eye damage, nerve damage, heart disease, kidney damage, stroke and more. Diabetes Monitor says that there is a small portion of the population that will report a false high reading when taking the HbA1c. This is due to the shorter lifespan of their hemoglobin cells and the fact that glucose sticks better to younger cells. The HbA1c test measures the average blood glucose levels over the past three months. Due to the nature of the average, a person who has a lot of highs and lows will have the same result as a person who maintains a stable reading. HbA1c: MedicinePlus Medical Encyclopedia Diabetes Monitor: What Does My HbA1c Result Really Mean Hormonal Disorders - Diabetes - Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Blood TestWhat It Measures
Normal Readings
Why It's Important
Not For Everyone
Not A Perfect Test
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