HbA1c

An HbA1c test is a blood test used to measure the average level of blood sugar (glucose) over the past 3 months. The test is used to diagnose diabetes and pre-diabetes, as well as to monitor and manage diabetes.

The HbA1c test measures the amount of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in your blood. Glycosylated hemoglobin is a type of hemoglobin, which is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. When glucose (sugar) attaches to hemoglobin, it forms glycated hemoglobin. The higher the level of glycated hemoglobin in your blood, the higher your average blood sugar.

The normal range for HbA1c is between 4% and 6%. If your HbA1c is 6.5% or higher, then you have diabetes. If your HbA1c is between 5.7% and 6.4%, you have pre-diabetes.