subject: Help For Diabetics-What is an A1c Test? [print this page] If you are a diabetic, you probably are familiar with the term A1c. This is a test that gives you and your doctor an average of your blood sugar readings for the preceding three - four months. Depending on your doctor, this test is usually given at least twice each year. The A1c gives your doctor information that he needs to determine if your course of treatment is working well, or if the treament plan needs to be tweaked.
The A1c test will also be a confirmation that your blood glucose meter is working well and the readings from that meter are accurate.
You may wonder what the normal range for and A1c test is. If you are not a diabetic, the maximum range would be about 5.0. If you are a type 2 diabetic, your acceptable maximum would be 6.0. If you happen to be a type 1 diabetic, a good result could be 7.0, because a lower level could result in too many low blood sugar readings. The equivalent of a 7.0 A1C would be an average 150 blood glucose reading with your meter.
In recent years, Bayer has developed a self check home system for checking A1c without the expense of a lab test from a doctor. This system can be purchased at your local pharmacy and it received good reviews from sites such as Amazon.com.
The cost of the test is a fraction of what a lab and a doctor visit would charge, so it benefits those without health insurance or those with a high deductible.
In any case, regular visits should be made to your doctor, with information from a home test used for supplementing and verifying results.
