what is A1C test ?

The A1C test is an essential part of living well with type 2 diabetes: This simple blood test to measure hemoglobin A1C, or HbA1C, provides information about your blood sugar control over the previous few months. The results are like a grade for how well you've been managing diabetes. By making the most of your daily efforts, you can lower your A1C results and take pride in all of your hard work.

A1C 101

Unlike blood glucose monitoring, which you do at home yourself at frequent intervals, A1C levels are measured periodically by your doctor or a nurse in a medical office. During this test, a health care worker will use a needle to draw a blood sample from a vein in your arm, or by pricking the tip of your finger with a small lancet. The sample is then sent to a medical laboratory for analysis.

The A1C test lets your doctor know about your average level of blood sugar control for the past three months. It looks at the way glucose has attached to hemoglobin, a component of red blood cells. Red blood cells live for about three months, which is how the A1C test can provide this overview.

The results of the test are given as a percentage. Normal A1C is below 5.7 percent, and the results of the test are accurate within 0.5 percent. In general, the goal of blood sugar control is a result below a 7 percent A1C because the risk for diabetes complications is lower below that point. But that number isn't realistic for everyone with diabetes, so your doctor might recommend a different target for you.