Thursday, December 8, 2011

Question of the Week: Knowing your Numbers

 

The following question was submitted for this week's blog post, "My A1c test result is 6.4% and my fasting blood sugar level is 113.  Do these numbers sound like diabetes and if so what do I do now?"

The A1C test is also known as "glycated hemoglobin" test.  This test will tell you what your average blood sugar level for the past 3 months is.  It measures the percentage of blood sugar attached to the hemoglobin in your blood.  The higher the blood sugar - the more hemoglobin with sugar attached to it.  An A1c of 6.5% or more on two separate occasions would be indicative of Diabetes.  An A1C level between 5.7 and 6.4 % indicates you have pre-diabetes (which is reverseable). A normal lab value is below 5.7%.

A fasting blood sugar level should read below 100 and this is best taken after an overnight fast.  A value between 100 - 125 mg/dL is considered prediabetes. If it's 126 mg/dL or higher on two separate tests, you may be diagnosed with diabetes.

If you have concerns - it is a good idea to speak with your doctor.


Source: Mayo Clinic