A1c Testing – A Revolutionary Step Towards Diabetes Management – Part I

The A1c or HbA1c or glycated haemoglobin, is the innovatory means of managing both type1 and type2 diabetes. Vouched by renowned experts inclusive of Fran Kaufman, MD, president of the American Diabetes Association, this effectual testing technique can help in managing a disease that has extreme and detrimental repercussions like heart disease and stroke.

The positive aspects of the A1 testing are still not perceptible to many people. Not many diabetic individuals get their A1c tested on a regular basis, and in those who do, many fail to comprehend the outcome of the test.

Every diabetic individual would be aware of the standardised, fasting blood-glucose testing that is an indicator of the existent blood glucose levels. The fasting test is the stalwart of diabetes management, and assists both the patient and doctor to perceive is which direction the treatment is heading.

In spite of the fasting test continuing to play a crucial role in diabetes treatment, its drawback is that it is an indicator of glucose levels at that moment when the test is carried out and does not provide any information of one’s blood sugar levels during the rest of the times.

The haemoglobin A1c test –generally known as the A1c- bridges this gap by adopting a different approach to testing blood glucose. During the course of processing blood glucose in the body, there are miniscule quantities of glucose innately bonding with the protein present in the red blood cells (RBC) known as haemoglobin. Notably, the extent of amalgamation of the glucose with the haemoglobin is in direct proportion to the total glucose presently in the system.

As a consequence, the haemoglobin combined with glucose also known as glycated haemoglobin or A1c could be employed as an overall account for the extent of life span of the individual RBC’s, that lies between two to three months. While the fasting test merely depicts the recent glucose levels, the A1c provides the larger average overall view over the span of this 2-3 months time period.

An overall blood glucose reading rather than a sequence of fasting readings have made a major change in the way diabetes can be managed. The fasting-glucose tests on their own are not effective indicators of tracking the individual’s progress chart in controlling blood sugars.

It is quite astonishing when some patients that have good glycemic index on the basis of fasting glucose – that abruptly developed grave complications.

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