Why is HbA1C a crucial test for diabetes diagnosis?

Unlike many blood tests, which only give you an estimate of your current or recent blood sugar levels, HbA1C blood test measurements look at an average from a much longer period of time - 3 months.

This larger picture gives your practitioner the opportunity to evaluate things like your current blood sugars vs your average regular blood sugar levels, as well as help create a better image of how much your blood sugars fluctuate.

Together with other blood tests for diabetes diagnosis, using HbA1C for glucose testing can help your practitioner gauge how severe your prediabetes or diabetes may be, as well as create the most effective long-term management plan to fit your needs.