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There are a lot of blood tests that are used to examine aspects that indicate a deficiency or disease about the ill-feeling one may be witnessing. Blood tests are a vital part of our lives as many signs are ignored by us and others but only get highlighted when tested. For instance, the HbA1c test determines the blood sugar level, and people with diabetes get the HbA1c test every three months. Therefore, for one to know about their body and its functioning, blood tests are very important.
HbA1c is a type of blood test that measures the amount of blood sugar or glucose attached to the haemoglobin. The full form of the HbA1c test is the Hemoglobin A1c test. The HbA1c test is a mandatory test for people suffering from diabetes and pre-diabetes. Moreover, people who have a family history of diabetes or have a lifestyle that makes them prone to diabetes are suggested to get an HbA1c test every six months.
The HbA1c diabetes test is conducted to know the level of blood sugar, if it is in the target range, above or below, so that necessary measures can be taken to take control of the situation. The target range for HbA1c is usually between 4.5% and 5.6%. The higher the HbA1c level, the higher the risk for the individual to have complications related to diabetes. For someone who has not gotten tested for HbA1c and has untreated diabetes, the test result will be above 8%.
There are a lot of methods to keep the HbA1c level under control. There are doctor-prescribed medications for the diabetic. People have suggested a mix of exercise, diet changes and other lifestyle improvements to be incorporated in one's everyday life to lower the HbA1c levels.
Furthermore, fasting is not required for the HbA1c test, unlike other blood tests for some of which fasting is required. Therefore, one can take an HbA1c test any time of the day before or after eating.
There can be many more reasons for getting a slightly higher test result than just a high blood sugar level. Diseases affecting hemoglobin such as anaemia, different levels of supplements like vitamin C, vitamin E, kidney and liver diseases can also affect the HbA1c test result.
How often does one need to get an HbA1c test?
Depending on the lifestyle choices, they tend to stay safe or get more prone to diabetes. Some people get diabetes genetically or inherit it from their parent's genes despite their lifestyle choices.
It is said for one to get an HbA1c test as soon as one is diagnosed with diabetes. The test sets a base level to be aware of their blood sugar levels and knows how well they are controlling their blood sugar levels.
Furthermore, the frequency or requirement for getting their HbA1c test depends on the type of diabetes they have, the treatment plan prescribed by their doctor and the level of blood sugar control.
One may get tested once a year if they are prediabetic, which means they have a chance of being diabetic. For people with type 2 diabetes, it is suggested to get an HbA1c test twice a year and lastly, for people affected with type 1 diabetes, they could get tested three to four times a year. Not only this, one may get an HbA1c test if the doctor prescribed treatment plan changes or they start a new medication.
