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Anonymous Question Prick tests and HbA1c tests?!
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bulkbiker
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How does HbA1c differ from a blood glucose level?
HbA1c provides a longer-term trend, similar to an average, of how high your blood sugar levels have been over a period of time.
An HbA1c reading can be taken from blood from a finger but is often taken from a blood sample that is taken from your arm.
Blood glucose level is the concentration of glucose in your blood at a single point in time, i.e. the very moment of the test.
A quote from this site
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html
So one is an average level over 2-3 months the other is a single point in time. You would have to take prick test readings all of the time in order to come up with your HbA1c.
HbA1c provides a longer-term trend, similar to an average, of how high your blood sugar levels have been over a period of time.
An HbA1c reading can be taken from blood from a finger but is often taken from a blood sample that is taken from your arm.
Blood glucose level is the concentration of glucose in your blood at a single point in time, i.e. the very moment of the test.
A quote from this site
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html
So one is an average level over 2-3 months the other is a single point in time. You would have to take prick test readings all of the time in order to come up with your HbA1c.
paulliljeros
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If you know what your average BG is, you can calculate you A1c using the calculator : http://www.diabetes.co.uk/hba1c-to-blood-sugar-level-converter.html
Unfortunately, as @bulkbiker states the only way you can get your average BG is with lots of finger prick tests, or CGM. I use the Animas Vibe + Dexcom loaded into diasend, and this provides the average BG over any period of time, allowing me to predict my A1c. I will know in the next few days how accurate it is when I get the results of my latest A1c!
You can also buy home kits for A1c testing, but the ones I looked at were a couple of hundred pounds for 10 tests, but had to be kept in the fridge and lasted less than 12 months - it was a false economy for me.
It is far more important to know where the BG is, and where it is heading, rather than where it has been.
Unfortunately, as @bulkbiker states the only way you can get your average BG is with lots of finger prick tests, or CGM. I use the Animas Vibe + Dexcom loaded into diasend, and this provides the average BG over any period of time, allowing me to predict my A1c. I will know in the next few days how accurate it is when I get the results of my latest A1c!
You can also buy home kits for A1c testing, but the ones I looked at were a couple of hundred pounds for 10 tests, but had to be kept in the fridge and lasted less than 12 months - it was a false economy for me.
It is far more important to know where the BG is, and where it is heading, rather than where it has been.
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The formula suggested is actually a linear regression and only gives an estimate of BG prick test average to HbA1c.
The following chart of data demonstrates the variance and the line interpolated through the points. The equation of this line os the formula offered for conversion. It is an estimate that is all
The following chart of data demonstrates the variance and the line interpolated through the points. The equation of this line os the formula offered for conversion. It is an estimate that is all
britishpub
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