Hemoglobin A1c: What does it mean for diabetes self-management?

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you should have an A1C test every 3-6 months to determine what your average blood glucose (blood sugar) has been during the previous 3 months.  The A1C level is more heavily influenced by the most previous month of blood glucose.

Facts about A1C

• The normal A1C for people without diabetes is 4-6%
• The goal for A1C for people with diabetes is generally less than 7%
• The A1C goal should be individualized.  An older person living alone may benefit from an A1C goal of 8-9%.
• The lower the A1C for people with diabetes, the lower the risk of developing complications such as eye, heart, kidney disease and damage to the nerves to the feet.

For more information about A1C, read this article from the journal Clinical Diabetes.