Question

When red blood cell (RBC) hemoglobin is exposed to high blood glucose levels, it becomes

glycated. The hemoglobin A1c test measures the percentage of glycated red blood cells in whole

blood as an indicator of blood glucose levels over the 90-day lifespan of an RBC. Hemoglobin

A1c levels between 4% and 5.9% are considered normal. A1c levels are well correlated with

average blood glucose levels. An A1c level of 6% (minimal for a diagnosis of diabetes) is

equivalent to an average blood glucose level of 135 mg/dL, whereas an A1c level of 9%

(uncontrolled diabetes) indicates an average blood glucose of 240 mg/dL.

a. Why would this test be a more accurate representation of a person’s diabetes than

would testing blood sugar once per day?

Answer 1

HbA1C is a more accurate indicator of blood glucose levels because it provides a long term measurement of blood glucose levels. HbA1C determines the average blood glucose concentration over a period of 2-3 months. Normal blood glucose testing provides the current blood glucose concentration but on the other hand HbA1C levels provide a long term result which depicts how high the blood glucose concentration has been over a period of time. HbA1C is an overall marker of blood glucose levels in the past 3 months.