All You Ever Needed To Know About The A1C Test For Diabetes

Jul 26
13:49

2013

V K Rajagopalan

V K Rajagopalan

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Despite the fact that the diabetes A1C test is the diagnostic tool of choice as far as diabetes treatment and diabetes research is concerned, countless people still have several questions regarding this test, and taking into consideration the potential ramifications of test results, they deserve to have their queries answered.

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If you have previously been tested for diabetes,All You Ever Needed To Know About The A1C Test For Diabetes Articles then the chances are high your physician will have utilized the diabetes hba1c test. This particular test is the industry standard, but lots of individuals end up confused simply because the test has a number of different names. Also, a lot of people have lots of other queries regarding the test, and in the following few paragraphs, I'm going to try and answer the most typical questions.

By What Other Names Is The A1C Examination Known?

1. A1C Test

2. Hemoglobin A1c

3. HbA1c

4. Glycohemoglobin test

How Exactly Does The A1C Test Work? If you ask somebody in a hospital laboratory this question, I'm certain they can provide you with an answer which could take up a number of pages. Simply put however, the A1C test is based upon the fact that glucose (blood sugar) connects itself to a specific protein in red blood cells called hemoglobin. The general lifespan of a red blood cell is roughly about three months, so in essence, the A1C test shows what your glucose levels have been in the course of the ninety days leading up to the date of your test.

Hba1c test are universally presented as a percentage. The bigger your percentage is, the higher your blood sugar level is. A reading of 5.7% or lower is considered to be normal, and would mean that you currently have nothing to stress about.

Can The Test Be Applied For Spotting Pre-Diabetes And Type 2 Diabetes? Up until 2009, pre-diabetes as well as type 2 diabetes was clinically diagnosed using ordinary blood glucose tests, but this is no longer always the case. In 2009 an international recommended that the diabetes A1C be used instead. This was mostly due to it being less complicated and more convenient, which in turn had the potential to considerably reduce the number of men and women living with undiagnosed diabetes. Interestingly enough, quite a few medical practitioners are still using regular blood tests for diagnosing pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

What Is The Significance Of Being Screened? In the early stages of the disorder there are often no signs or symptoms, which in turn makes routine testing very valuable. As with nearly all illnesses, the earlier diabetes is found, the easier it is to control it. When found in the really early stages, it can often be managed simply by making some dietary changes as well as a couple of lifestyle improvements. If the illness is able to progress with no intervention, serious complications may easily arise which could result in blindness; amputations, and so on.

People with a A1C reading of 5.7% to 6.4% are considered to have pre-diabetes, which usually means they're at risk of getting type 2 diabetes within the following 10 years. On the plus side, if necessary measures are taken, the pre-diabetics can oftentimes avoid type 2 diabetes altogether, or at least delay it substantially.

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