The relationship between pre diabetes and A1C, also known as glycated hemoglobin, has been shown to be an indicator and useful tool in the diagnosis of pre diabetics. Doctors normally administer one or more tests, such as a simple routine blood test, fasting plasma glucose test (FPG), or A1C test, to individuals displaying symptoms of pre diabetes. While all will measure blood glucose levels there is evidence suggesting that the A1C test is the most reliable and accurate.
The FPG test measures the level of blood glucose after fasting for a minimum of eight hours. The difficulty of the FPG test is that a second test is often necessary and the need for retesting increases if the patient has not fasted properly. For this reason the A1C test is considered superior. The A1C checks the blood glucose levels of individuals from the previous two to three months, measuring glycated hemoglobin or hemoglobin proteins that have glucose attached.
Pre Diabetes (Hemoglobin) A1C Test
Statistics show approximately 60 million Americans, one-third of adults, are pre diabetic with 30% of those individuals eventually being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within ten years. According to an article published in Science Daily, the use of routine blood testing to screen for diabetes will significantly lower the cost of treatment for the effected populations. Dr. Ronald T. Ackerman, M.D., M.P.H., of Indiana University led a team of researchers in a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine investigating the use of the A1C test, which is given to diabetic patients, in the diagnosis of pre diabetes. The results of the study found that for pre diabetes A1C testing was equally accurate at pinpointing the disease. Those particularly at risk of pre diabetes are people with high blood pressure, heart disease, are obese, over the age of 45, or have a family history of diabetes. By checking A1C levels, pre diabetes can be avoided as preventive measures can be taken immediately yielding solid results. Dr. Ackerman argued that Medicare should offer prevention benefits after the age of 50, rather than 65, in order to reduce the number of individuals who will develop the disease.
Pre Diabetes: A1C Levels and Reducing Your Risk of Diabetes
Using the A1C test in the diagnosis of pre diabetes allows doctors and their patients to have an accurate view of blood glucose levels over a significant period of time, providing a portrait of their diet and lifestyle. Making even small changes to both of these can significantly decrease the development of diabetes. Studies have shown that a reduction in weight of just 10 to 15 pounds can have positive effect.
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