The A1c (Hemoglobin A1c, or HbA1c) is a blood test used to both diagnose diabetes and determine your blood glucose control, providing an average of your blood sugar over the previous 3 months. This is helpful information, both in the diagnosing of diabetes and in determining how well your blood sugar has been controlled. The higher your A1c, the more at risk you are of developing the complications of diabetes, and of any complications you may already have becoming worse.
The ADA recommends having your A1c checked every 6 months if your diabetes is well-controlled, and every 3 months ,or more frequently, if uncontrolled.
A1c levels less than 5.7% are considered normal. If your A1c Level is between 5.7% and 6.4%, you are considered to have prediabetes, and if your level is 6.5% or above, you will be diagnosed with diabetes. For most adults with diabetes, an A1c level of below 7.0% is indicative that your diabetes is well-controlled. (There are medical conditions which can cause falsely high or falsely low A1c levels, and all medical conditions should be discussed with your provider). Also, if your blood sugar fluctuates greatly from very high to very low, your A1c would provide an inaccurate picture of your blood glucose control, so daily self-monitoring of your blood sugar is very important.
Your A1c will determine the management of your diabetes, and diabetes management is best when shared with your entire healthcare team, including your provider, diabetes educator, dietitian, and endocrinologist when appropriate. Your diabetes can be controlled with a combination of medications, insulin if needed, diet, exercise, and weight management. It all starts with the A1c, so make sure you know yours!
References:
https://diabetes.org/diabetes/a1c
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