The A1c test gives you and your healthcare provider a "ball park average" of your blood sugar over the past 2-3 months. Sugar in your bloodstream attaches to a protein (A1c) in your red blood cells which has a lifespan of about 3 months, and this can be measured by the A1c test.
Typically, an A1c test is drawn at the time of diagnosis with diabetes and at regular 3-month intervals after diagnosis. It should not be used as the basis for a diagnosis of diabetes (this is made when you have a fasting blood sugar equal to or greater than 126 mg/dl, or a random blood sugar of 200 mg/dl or more with symptoms of diabetes). You do not have to fast before having the test done but it's possible you may be having other lab tests drawn at the same time that require you to refrain from eating for at least 8 hours.
What does the test tell you? Your A1c can tell you and your healthcare provider if your blood sugar levels are too high. The higher your blood sugar, the higher the A1c. High blood sugars, if left untreated, may contribute to the complications of diabetes such as blindness, kidney failure, nerve damage or heart attack as a result of damage to the blood vessels.
If your A1c is too high, your healthcare provider may start you on a diabetes medication, make changes to a diabetes medication you may already be taking, and refer you to a diabetes educator who will assist you with your diabetes care.
What is your A1c goal? The American Diabetes Association(ADA) recommends that you strive for an A1c of 7% or less. An A1c of 7% indicates an average plasma sugar level of 170 mg/dl. Normal values for an individual without diabetes is less than 6% (plasma sugar level less than 135 mg/dl).
Some helpful links:
www.diabetes.org/diabetescare
www.diabetes.org
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