The A1C Test and Long-Term Complications

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What is the A1C test?
The A1C test is a blood test that provides information about a person’s average levels of blood glucose, also called blood sugar, over the past 3 months.

The A1C test is sometimes called the hemoglobin A1c, HbA1c, or glycohemoglobin test.

The A1C test is the primary test used for diabetes man- agement and diabetes research.

Why should a person be tested for diabetes?
Testing is especially important because early in the disease diabetes has no symptoms. Although no test is perfect, the A1C and blood glucose tests are the best tools available to diagnose diabetes – a serious and lifelong disease.

Testing enables health care providers to find and treat diabetes before complications occur and to find and treat prediabetes, which can delay or prevent type 2 diabetes from developing.