Medical Abbreviation: A Closer Look at Hemoglobin A1c Test

The Hemoglobin A1c test is a way for clinicians to measure blood glucose levels over a long period of time. Typically, diabetics measure their blood glucose daily. This is an important part of their treatment regimen including how much insulin they should take daily. One disadvantage of home blood sugar testing is the results vary dramatically and only give a small window-view of how well a patient’s blood sugar level is being controlled.

The HbA1c level provides understanding as to how well the patient’s blood sugar has been controlled over a period of time – about a three month period before the test is taken. The test measures the amount of sugar that sticks to the red blood cells in the body. The life span for a red blood cell is about three months. The higher a patient’s HbA1c level and the longer period of time that their HbA1c is elevated, the more of a risk they have for the development of kidney disease, eye disease, nerve damage, and stroke and heart disease.

The normal range for HbA1c levels is considered between 4% and 5.9%. Diabetics that are well controlled are 7.0% or less. In those diabetics who are poorly controlled, their levels are 8.0% or above. If HbA1c levels are above 7.0%, this indicates that the blood glucose levels have not been well-regulated over a period of weeks to months.

When reviewing a medical record of a diabetic, knowing the significance of the HbA1c level provides insight regarding how well their disease is being controlled. This can be helpful for plaintiff counsel when considering lack of treatment or sub-standard treatment. It can also be beneficial for defense purposes when trying to substantiate claims of lack of treatment compliance on the part of the patient.

Reference
American Diabetes Assoication. Standard of medical care in diabetes – 2007. Diabetes Care. 2007; 30: S4-S41.