What is the HbA1c value seen in the health checkup booklet?
HbA1c or Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) test measures the accumulated blood sugar level over the past 2-3 months. If we consume food with more sugar than the body can use, some of the remaining sugar in the blood will bind to red blood cells, causing the amount of Hemoglobin A1C to gradually increase.
How is HbA1c different from regular blood sugar levels?
We are often familiar with fasting for 6-8 hours before a health checkup. The blood sugar level obtained can roughly indicate how much sugar you consumed in the past day or two. However, the HbA1c test helps assess diabetes control over the past 2-3 months more clearly, not just the day or two before the test.
What are the benefits of the HbA1c test?
- Better diabetes management and prevention of complications
- Check how well blood sugar is controlled by looking at the average sugar level over the past 2-3 months
- Hemoglobin is a substance in red blood cells responsible for carrying oxygen to various parts of the body
- If blood sugar remains high continuously, it reflects the average sugar level over the past 2-3 months because red blood cells live for about 120 days
How to interpret accumulated blood sugar levels?
| Normal Person | At Risk of Diabetes | Diabetic Person |
| (Normal Range) HbA1C range = less than 6.0 mg% | HbA1C range = 6.0 mg% to 6.4 mg% | (High Range) HbA1C range = greater than or equal to 6.5 mg% |
If your accumulated blood sugar level is 6.0 mg%, you should consult a diabetes and endocrinology specialist.
What should you do if you find ‘high blood sugar’?
- Continuously consult a doctor to adjust appropriate treatment
- Undergo physical examinations to prevent complications such as eye, kidney, heart, and nervous system diseases
- Monitor HbA1c at least twice a year or as advised by your doctor
- Adjust eating habits by reducing energy-providing foods such as carbohydrates and fats
- Lose weight through appropriate methods
- Engage in activities for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week, such as exercising or brisk walking, according to individual suitability
What happens if high blood sugar is left untreated…
If the blood sugar level (HbA1c) is equal to or greater than 6.5%, it may be a sign leading to diabetes and other complications such as arterial wall disease, eye disease, kidney disease, nervous system disease, infections, etc. It may also lead to hyperglycemia with high blood concentration, which can cause shock and loss of consciousness. Therefore, the earlier abnormalities are detected, the greater the chance of treatment before symptoms worsen and become severe.
Diabetes: Early Testing, Early Awareness, Reduce Long-term Complications
