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Limitations of the test
Read before you order:
An HbA1c result of 49mmol/mol (6.5%) is recommended as the cut-off for diagnosing diabetes. However, a measurement lower than this doesn’t always mean you don’t have diabetes. While a raised HbA1c result doesn’t always mean you have diabetes. HbA1c may be falsely lowered with some conditions like haemolysis and chronic liver disease, while it can falsely raised with conditions including iron deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency. A formal diagnosis must be confirmed by your doctor, who will consider your HbA1c result aslong side any symptoms and the results of further tests. HbA1c is unsuitable to diagnose diabetes in certain groups of people. Speak to your GP if unsure.
FAQ’s
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The HbA1c blood test is a valuable tool in managing and diagnosing diabetes. Here are some key benefits of the test:
Diabetes Diagnosis and Monitoring: HbA1c is commonly used to diagnose diabetes and prediabetes. It measures the average blood glucose levels over the past 2-3 months, giving a longer-term view of blood sugar control compared to daily blood sugar tests.
Assess Long-Term Blood Sugar Control: Unlike single blood glucose measurements, HbA1c reflects the overall trend of blood sugar levels over time. This makes it an essential test for assessing how well a person is managing their blood sugar, especially for people with diabetes.
No Fasting Required: Unlike other tests (e.g., fasting blood sugar or oral glucose tolerance test), the HbA1c test does not require fasting, making it more convenient for patients.
Predicts Risk of Complications: High HbA1c levels are associated with a greater risk of developing diabetes-related complications such as heart disease, kidney problems, and nerve damage. Regular monitoring helps to reduce these risks by guiding treatment decisions.
Helps Adjust Treatment Plans: For individuals already diagnosed with diabetes, the HbA1c test provides insight into the effectiveness of their current treatment plan. If levels are too high, adjustments can be made to medications, diet, or lifestyle.
Provides an Easy-to-Understand Metric: The results of the HbA1c test are given as a percentage, making it easy for both patients and healthcare providers to understand and track progress.
Overall, the HbA1c test is a crucial tool for managing diabetes, preventing complications, and maintaining overall health.
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HbA1c refers to glycated haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is a protein in your blood that carries oxygen around your body to make energy. When your blood glucose (or blood sugar) level is high, glucose binds to haemoglobin to form glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). The higher your blood sugar, the higher your level of HbA1c.
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Our HbA1c blood test assesses your average blood sugar control over the past 8–12 weeks by measuring HbA1c. Unlike a fasting plasma glucose test that measures your blood sugar level at a single point in time, an HbA1c test is not affected by short-term changes.
Your test results can help diagnose diabetes or prediabetes (a condition where your blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes). Our HbA1c home test can also be used to monitor diabetes with regular testing.
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Diabetes is strongly associated with obesity, poor diet, and a sedentary lifestyle. And your risk of developing the condition increases with age. Having a close relative with diabetes and your ethnicity can also put you at higher risk, with diabetes being more common in people of South Asian, African-Caribbean, and Black African descent.
N.B. Choose preferred blood taking kit at checkout.