What is the Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) Test?

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About Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) Test

It is one of the most commonly-used tests to diagnose pre-diabetes and diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) and to help manage diabetes.
It is also known as the glycated haemoglobin or glycosylated haemoglobin test.
Hemoglobin is the part of your red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body.
It is an important blood test that gives a good indication of how well your diabetes is being controlled.

How does the test work?

Sugar enters your bloodstream from the food you eat. The sugar, or glucose, attaches to the haemoglobin in your red blood cells. Haemoglobin is a protein that transports oxygen to all the cells of your body.
Everybody has some sugar attached to their haemoglobin. Those with pre-diabetes and diabetes, however, have more.
The HbA1C test measures the percentage of your red blood cells that have sugar-coated, or glycated, haemoglobin.

What is Diabetes?

It is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas can no longer make insulin, or the body cannot make good use of the insulin it produces.
Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose.
Not being able to produce or use insulin effectively leads to raised glucose levels in the blood, known as hyperglycaemia.
Over the long-term high glucose levels are associated with damage to the body and failure of various organs and tissues.
Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, and lower limb amputation.

Q1) What is Insulin?

It is a hormone that regulates blood glucose. Not being able to produce or use insulin effectively leads to raised glucose levels in the blood, known as hyperglycaemia. Over the long-term high glucose levels are associated with damage to the body and failure of various organs and tissues.

Source: What is the HbA1C test and why is it used to check for diabetes? | Explained