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Blood Sugar To A1c Chart

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A1c Calculator For Average Blood Sugar Level

Blood Glucose Conversion Chart | How to convert to HbA1c | Type 2 Diabetes

The HbA1c tool calculates your average blood glucose level in units. The glycated Hemoglobin A1C test shows your average blood sugar level over the past 2 to 3 months. If youd like to know your average blood sugar level over that time frame, just enter your most recent HbA1c results into the A1c calculator below, then hit enter. Furthermore, you can calculate your A1c level simply by entering your average blood sugar level into that field, hit enter for your result. . So basically, when people ask Can I calculate my A1C at home?, the answer is yes. Reference the A1C chart with your result value. A helpful tool for diabetics with t1d or t2d diabetes!

How The Test Works

The sugar in your blood is called glucose. When glucose builds up in your blood, it binds to the hemoglobin in your red blood cells. The A1c test measures how much glucose is bound.

Red blood cells live for about 3 months, so the test shows the average level of glucose in your blood for the past 3 months.

If your glucose levels have been high over recent weeks, your hemoglobin A1c test will be higher.

Can The A1c Test Result In A Different Diagnosis Than The Blood Glucose Tests

Yes. In some people, a blood glucose test may show diabetes when an A1C test does not. The reverse can also occuran A1C test may indicate diabetes even though a blood glucose test does not. Because of these differences in test results, health care professionals repeat tests before making a diagnosis.

People with differing test results may be in an early stage of the disease, when blood glucose levels have not risen high enough to show up on every test. In this case, health care professionals may choose to follow the person closely and repeat the test in several months.

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What Is An Estimated Average Glucose Level

Before we start talking about A1c results, we need to clear up one thing: your eAG.

Your eAG is simply your estimated average glucose level or blood sugar level.

Your eAG is another term rarely used in doctors offices, but its pretty darn important if youre trying to improve your A1c and your overall risk of diabetes complications.

We all know our blood sugar never stays put in one place for very long, so your eAG doesnt imply that your blood sugar is always that number, but instead its the middle of the overall range of your blood sugars fluctuations each day.

Okay, lets get more specific

How Do We Measure Blood Glucose Levels

COMPARISON OF HEMOGLOBIN BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS TO HEMOGLOBIN A1c ...

You can check your blood sugar levels at home using a portable device called a blood glucose meter. Ideally, your blood glucose level before a meal should be between 4.0 to 7.0 mmol/L. Two hours after a meal the level should be between 5.0 to 10.0 mmol/L. Find more on blood sugar level targets when you have diabetes in this article.

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A1c Results And What The Numbers Mean

*Any test used to diagnose diabetes requires confirmation with a second measurement, unless there are clear symptoms of diabetes.

Diagnosis*
Diabetes 6.5 percent or above

When using the A1C test for diagnosis, your doctor will send your blood sample taken from a vein to a lab that uses an NGSP-certified method. The NGSP, formerly called the National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program, certifies that makers of A1C tests provide results that are consistent and comparable with those used in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial.

Blood samples analyzed in a doctors office or clinic, known as point-of-care tests, should not be used for diagnosis.

The A1C test should not be used to diagnose type 1 diabetes, gestational diabetes, or cystic fibrosis-related diabetes. The A1C test may give false results in people with certain conditions.

Having prediabetes is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. Within the prediabetes A1C range of 5.7 to 6.4 percent, the higher the A1C, the greater the risk of diabetes.

What Factors Can Interfere With A1c Test

Some of these interfering factors that can affect HbA1C test results include

  • Inaccurate results: Disease conditions such as sickle cell anemia, kidney disease, liver disease, anemia, Thalassemia, drugs
  • False low A1C Value: Pregnancy, hemorrhage, kidney disease, liver disease, anemia, alcohol, folic acid deficiency.
  • False High A1C value: Iron deficiency in the blood

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What Is An A1c Test

The hemoglobin A1c test tells you your average level of blood sugar over the past 2 to 3 months. It’s also called HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin test, and glycohemoglobin. Itâs a lot like a baseball player’s season batting average. A single game doesn’t tell you how a player is performing in their career. And 1 day’s test results don’t give you the complete picture of how your treatment is working.

People who have diabetes need this test regularly to see if their levels are staying within range. It can tell if you need to adjust your diabetes medicines. The A1c test is also used to diagnose diabetes.

Is The A1c Test Used During Pregnancy

A1C Levels

Health care professionals may use the A1C test early in pregnancy to see if a woman with risk factors had undiagnosed diabetes before becoming pregnant. Since the A1C test reflects your average blood glucose levels over the past 3 months, testing early in pregnancy may include values reflecting time before you were pregnant. The glucose challenge test or the oral glucose tolerance test are used to check for gestational diabetes, usually between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. If you had gestational diabetes, you should be tested for diabetes no later than 12 weeks after your baby is born. If your blood glucose is still high, you may have type 2 diabetes. Even if your blood glucose is normal, you still have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes in the future and should get tested every 3 years.

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Hemoglobin A1c Correlations Against Multiple Glucose Values

Ozmen and colleagues36 showed that, while any single glucose value correlates with HbA1c, better correlations are achieved by averaging the glucose values of an individual. Bonora and associates37 found that preprandial glucose levels were slightly better than postprandial glucose levels when correlated with HbA1c however, they also concluded that averaging these values gave the best correlation.

In 1982, Svendson and coworkers38 reported that the average glucose levels derived from approximately 2 to 300 measurements in each of 18 type 1 diabetes patients correlated almost perfectly with glycosylated hemoglobin.

While most similar studies have been performed in type 1 diabetes patients, Makris and colleagues39 have shown that average glucometer glucose values in 140 type 2 diabetes patients also correlates with HbA1c over the preceding 12 weeks. They calculated their averages from a minimum of 72 individual measurements taken in the preceding month. The correlation was similarly exceptionally strong with a regression equation of mean blood glucose = 34.74 × HbA1c 79.21. The strength of their correlation, however, could also be contributed to by the greater stability of glucose levels in type 2 compared to type 1 diabetes patients.

How Accurate Are The Results

The calculator looks to provide an estimate of what your HbA1c value may be based upon your average blood glucose results and vice versa. Its important to note that HbA1c and blood glucose tests measure different things.

Blood glucose tests measure the concentration of glucose molecules in the blood at a single point in time.

The HbA1c test measures the proportion of haemoglobin molecules in the blood that have become chemically bonded with glucose over a period of up to 3 months.

However, the calculator serves as a useful guide which can give you a close indication of what your HbA1c result might be based on your blood glucose results?

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Simple Conversion Formula For A1c From Average Blood Glucose

Now that you know what A1C is and what it measures let’s see how to calculate it. You can estimate it using a formula no more complicated than converting Celsius to Fahrenheit . All you need to do is apply your average blood glucose measurement to one of the following formulas:

If your blood glucose is in mg/dL , use this formula:

/ 28.7 = your A1C

If your blood glucose is in mmol/L , use this formula:

/ 1.59 = your A1C

If youâd like to read more about where these numbers come from, you can check out our source here.

What Do Your Fasting Blood Glucose And Hemoglobin A1c Levels Mean

I was looking up A1C charts and found this gem. (Check the color key ...

Blood glucose serves as the primary energy source for our brain and body. Healthy blood glucose levels are therefore essential for maintaining overall health and longevity. Unfortunately, several factors including the Standard American Diet and a sedentary lifestyle can increase glucose beyond normal levels, and over time, result in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. If undetected, consistently high glucose can lead to long-term health complications, including nerve damage, cardiovascular disease, and kidney failure. This article explains the two most common blood tests used to detect abnormal glucose levels and ways to properly regulate them.

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Normal Hba1c For Person Without Diabetes

For someone who does not have diabetes, a normal HbA1C level is below 5.7%. An A1C between 5.7% to 6.4% is indicative of prediabetes.

Its recommended that adults over the age of 45 or adults under 45 who are overweight and have one or more risk factors for diabetes have a baseline A1C checked. If the result is normal, the A1C should be checked every three years. If the result indicates prediabetes, the A1C should be checked every one to two years.

Target Levels In People With Diabetes

A doctor will set a persons target A1C level based on many factors. The right target varies from person to person.

For someone with diabetes, the target A1C level may depend on:

  • the persons age
  • how long they have had diabetes
  • their prescribed treatment plan
  • any history of adverse effects from the treatment, including episodes of low blood glucose, or hypoglycemia
  • any complications from diabetes
  • the persons preferences and treatment priorities

In general, a doctor might recommend aiming for A1C levels under 6.5% if a person:

  • is young and has a long life expectancy
  • has had diabetes for a short period
  • is effectively managing their diabetes with lifestyle changes or metformin alone
  • is otherwise in good health

A doctor might recommend A1C targets of 7.08.5% if a person:

  • is older and has a shorter life expectancy
  • has had diabetes for a longer period
  • has diabetes that is hard to manage, even with multiple medications
  • has a history of severe hypoglycemia or other adverse effects of treatment
  • has experienced complications of diabetes
  • has other chronic health conditions

A person should work with their doctor to reassess and adjust their A1C targets over time. The condition and treatment goals may change.

To screen for diabetes, a doctor may order an A1C test for someone older than 45. They may also do this for younger people who have other risk factors.

After diagnosing diabetes, a doctor determines how often to test A1C levels.

Symptoms of high blood glucose levels include:

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Recommended Blood Sugar Targets For Most People With Diabetes*

Your targets may not be the same as the examples in this chart. Your targets are important and should be specific to you.

A1C**
4.0 to 7.0 5.0 to 10.0

* This information is based on the Diabetes Canada 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada and is a guide.** A1C is a measurement of your average blood sugar control for the last two to three months and approximately 50 per cent of the value comes from the last 30 days.

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Low Blood Sugar Level Causes

Blood Sugar Levels Chart | Includes fasting and after eating

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What Is The A1c Test

The A1C test is a blood test that provides information about your average levels of blood glucose, also called blood sugar, over the past 3 months. The A1C test can be used to diagnose type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.1 The A1C test is also the primary test used for diabetes management.

The A1C test is sometimes called the hemoglobin A1C, HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin, or glycohemoglobin test. Hemoglobin is the part of a red blood cell that carries oxygen to the cells. Glucose attaches to or binds with hemoglobin in your blood cells, and the A1C test is based on this attachment of glucose to hemoglobin.

The higher the glucose level in your bloodstream, the more glucose will attach to the hemoglobin. The A1C test measures the amount of hemoglobin with attached glucose and reflects your average blood glucose levels over the past 3 months.

The A1C test result is reported as a percentage. The higher the percentage, the higher your blood glucose levels have been. A normal A1C level is below 5.7 percent.

What Are Some Top Tips For Lowering A1c

Your A1C score is a helpful tool, Dodell says, but it is not the only indicator of how healthy you are.

For example, you could hit your A1C goal but still have wide fluctuations in your blood sugar levels, which is more common among people who take insulin. Youll need to bring these day-to-day fluctuations under control, since they can lower your quality of life and increase your risk of complications, he says.

Think of your diabetes as you would a job, Dodell says. It takes work, but the time and effort you put into it can result in good control and an improved quality of life. The key to reaching your A1C goal is trying to follow a healthy lifestyle, he says.

Making these changes can help you improve your day-to-day blood sugar management and lower your A1C.

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The Big Picture: Monitoring Treatment

This relatively simple blood test can tell you a lot. The test results give you a picture of your average blood sugar level over the past two to three months. The higher the levels, the greater your risk of developing diabetes complications. Your doctor will tell you how often you need the A1C test, but usually youll have the test at least twice a year if youre meeting your treatment goals. If youre not meeting your goals or you change treatments, you may need to get an A1C test more often.

Determining Your Own A1c And Eag Goals

A1c Values Chart

In an ideal world, sure, we would all eat zero carbohydrates and our A1cs would be a magical 5.0. But managing diabetes is not that simple.

This means that determining that right A1c goal for you, your body, and your life as a person with diabetes is a very personal decision that you and your healthcare team decide on.

For instance, someone with a background of hypoglycemia unawareness may find a target A1c of 6.0 percent to simply be too dangerous, putting them at too much risk for severe hypoglycemia.

Someone who lives by themselves may find that sleeping with blood sugars lower than 120 mg/dL, for example, is simply too scary.

Someone who has in recovery from diabulimia and has spent the past several years with blood sugars above 300 mg/dL will need to lower blood sugar levels very gradually with the help of their healthcare team and support team. This means their A1c is going to be set at a higher target than normal, too.

To learn more about setting A1c targets and lowering your A1c , please read our comprehensive guide to lowering your A1c.

Everyone is in a different place with their diabetes management, and we all have different personal needs, challenges, and goals. And that needs to be okay. Focus on whats right for you and your current life as a person with diabetes.

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