While not used for diagnosing diabetes, the Hgb A1c test provides an assessment of the degree to which blood glucose has been elevated over an extended time period. It measures
the amount of binding glucose has done to hemoglobin of red blood cells over the previous 2-3 months.The higher the concentration of glucose in the blood, the more binding it will do. All red blood cells
have some glucose bound to them. With normal blood glucose levels, glycated hemoglobin is expected to be 4.5% to 6.7%. As blood glucose concentration rise, however, more binding occurs. Normal values vary
according to the lab that is being used, be sure to compare your results to your labs "Normal" values. Poor blood sugar control over time is suggested when the glycated hemoglobin measure exceeds
8.0%. |
