Your blood's A1c level: Aim for 7 percent or less
Eye, kidney, nerve and blood vessel damage caused by diabetes is directly related to the blood's A1c level. Research shows that a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test result of 7 percent or less reduces the risk of such complications. Lowering your A1c by even 1 percent can reduce your risks by 30 percent.
That's why Allina Medical Clinic recommends patients with diabetes…
- have an A1c test goal – or target – of less than 7 percent
- take an A1c test every six months (every 3 months if test results exceed your target).
What the test measures
Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is a blood test that shows your average blood glucose level over the past two or three months. It measures the percentage of hemoglobin with glucose attached (altered hemoglobin).
Glucose in your blood stream attaches to hemoglobin in red blood cells and stays there. Red blood cells live for about 120 days.
The higher your blood sugar is, the more glucose is attached to hemoglobin. So, the higher your A1c level is, the higher your chances of diabetes-related eye, kidney, nerve or blood vessel damage are.
A1c testing process
The hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) testing process is simple:
- At the clinic, your nurse will take some blood from your arm using a needle and syringe.
- The blood is sent to a laboratory for testing.
- Your clinic will contact you once the test results are in.
Understanding test results
Normal A1c range is 4 to 6 percent.
If your A1c results are more than 7 percent, you may need to work with your doctor or diabetes educator on revising your diabetes treatment plan. For instance, you may try…
- different medicines
- a different food plan
- more physical activity
- stress reduction training
- more frequent health care visits.
Dialog home page
Diabetes care card: Aim for the target of 7 (requires Adobe Reader) Hemoglobin A1c measurement Allina Medical Clinic - Diabetes Education
Source: Allina Patient Education, Diabetes, dia-ahc-31130 (9/05); Allina Patient Education, Allina Medical Clinic: The A1c Test to Measure Diabetes Control, dia-amc-32942 (10/03)
First published: 09/21/2004
Last updated: 01/21/2008
Reviewed by: Mary Frederick, RN, MS, CDE, diabetes program manager, Allina Medical Clinic
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