Question

My doctor says I have a raised blood sugar and he wants to do something called an HbA1c. What's that, and should I be worried?

Answer

HbA1c is shorthand for a type of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying element in red blood cells. (Hb stands for hemoglobin, and A1c is the designation of the subtype.) It's important because glucose binds to HbA1c and is only released very slowly, so that the HbA1c represents the average blood glucose level over the previous 4 weeks. This makes its measurement far more valuable than just a single blood sugar measurement, which can vary a lot depending on when your last meal was and what it contained.
 

Your doctor wants to use your blood HbA1c level as an indicator of whether you have diabetes, and, if so, how severe it is. In non-diabetic persons the formation and breakdown of HbA1c reach a 'steady state' with about 3.0% to 6.5% of the hemoglobin being the A1c subtype. Most diabetic individuals have a higher average blood glucose level than non-diabetics, resulting in a higher HbA1c level. This indicates the possible level of damage to tissues due to too high sugar levels, and thus of diabetic complications, if continued for years.
 

If you do, in fact, have diabetes, your doctor will use your blood HbA1c level to check that your treatment is adequate.
 

Related Links
What Is the HbA1c Test?
Answers.com: HbA1c