Glycated hemoglobin (glycohemoglobin, GHB) keeps diabetes under control. By testing the level of glycated hemoglobin HbA1c, you can check how the blood glucose has developed over the last 3 months and whether the treatment is going properly. What are the normal results for glycosylated hemoglobin?

Glycated hemoglobinstands forblood levels of HbA1c , recommended for monitoring diabetes treatment. With this test, you can tell if your diabetes is being treated properly. Elevated levels of glycosylated hemoglobin indicate that diabetes is poorly balanced, and this increases the risk that diabetes complications will develop. The higher the level of glycosylated hemoglobin, the greater the risk of developing these complications.

Glycated hemoglobin and blood sugar testing

Glycated hemoglobin, or HbA1c test, is the basic method of assessing the effectiveness of diabetes treatment. While the patient's daily blood sugar control is an indicator of the moment, the HbA1c test shows the average blood glucose level over the last three months. One test assesses whether the patient has maintained good blood glucose levels in the last 6-10 weeks.

According to international recommendations, the determination of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in diabetic patients should be performed every three months. In patients with a stable course of the disease and good metabolic control, every six months.

Glycated hemoglobin: interpretation of results

When interpreting the result of a glycated hemoglobin test, remember that due to the different test methods, the threshold value may differ between laboratories and depends on the test method used.

Normal glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c level) is about 5 percent for a he althy person.

For people with diabetes, the Polish Diabetes Association recommends that the result should be equal to or below 6.1-6.5 percent - this is evidence of good diabetes control. For people who are required to achieve normoglycemia, the target should be less than 6.1 percent (which is close to the level for non-diabetics).

If the glycated hemoglobin value is greater than 7 percent, treatment changes should be madesick.

Glycated Hemoglobin: Benefits of Control

Studies show that in people who managed to lower the level of glycosylated hemoglobin by only 1 percent, the risk of complications (unfavorable changes in eyesight - diabetic retinopathy, in the kidneys - diabetic nephropathy) decreased by 37 percent, while the risk of a heart attack has decreased by 14 percent.

According to international recommendations, the determination of HbA1c in diabetic patients should be performed every three months. In patients with a stable course of the disease and good metabolic control, every six months.

Important

Glycated Hemoglobin: How Does It Work?

Hemoglobin A is the protein contained in red blood cells (red blood cells) that carries oxygen around the body. Glucose appearing in the blood can combine (glycolize) with the hemoglobin A protein. The more glucose in the blood, the more it binds to hemoglobin - the so-called glycation. At the same time, when glucose is combined with hemoglobin, it usually remains there for the entire life of the hemoglobin A protein - that is as much as 120 days, therefore, at any time, the glucose attached to the hemoglobin A protein reflects the blood sugar level in the period from two to three months preceding the test . The HbA1c test accurately measures how high the percentage of hemoglobin proteins is glycated, hence the test allows you to effectively monitor the course of diabetes.

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