The AC1 blood test is one of the most common measurements used to determine if someone has a diabetic condition. It measures the percentage of blood sugar that is attached too a person’s red blood cells. Unlike an at-home glucose checker, the AC1 blood test will measure an average sugar amount on the blood cells for up to 3 months. This gives doctors a better overview on health since at-home readings can vary based on eating and drinking habits by several points over the course of a day.
The AC1 blood test may also be used to diagnose prediabetic conditions or track diabetes treatment.
What Do My Results Mean?
The AC1 blood test will come back as a percentage instead of an actual blood sugar number. Most people will fall into a typical range that is below 6%. The normal range for the average person is generally below 5.7%, but it could be slightly higher for some folks and still be considered a normal result.
Many doctors will consider a patient to be prediabetic if their AC1 blood test shows comes back in the 5.7-6.5% range. It is important to note that being prediabetic essentially means that a patient has early diabetes, but that it has been caught early on. Medications may be ordered at this stage in high risk patients, although most doctors tend to tell people to change their lifestyle habits and get more exercise to manage their condition.
Results that are above 6.5% tend to be a reflection that diabetes is present. Under 7% for someone with a confirmed diagnosis of the disease indicates that it is being well managed. An initial reading below 7% may also still be considered a prediabetic condition for some doctors.
Anything above 7% will be considered diabetes that is not being well controlled. Anything above 8% may be considered a medical emergency by some doctors and they may respond with an aggressive treatment regimen. An AC1 blood test that is above 10% indicates that there may be damage occurring within the body because of extremely high and constant sugar levels.
Are the Results of the AC1 Blood Test Accurate?
Unlike other blood tests for glucose or sugar levels, fasting doesn’t generally affect the results of the AC1 blood test unless it is a prolonged period of fasting that extends beyond 7 days. That’s because this is an average test, not an immediate test. It can be dangerous for individuals with diabetes to fast because it can actually raise blood sugar levels in the short term. 8-12 hours of fasting before the AC1 blood test may be recommended, along with other individual specific orders. Be sure to follow them completely before the blood draw.
Sometimes a medication can falsely raise the AC1 blood test results. This is typically seen in medications that are used to treat high cholesterol levels. Patients who are taking statins on a daily basis will want to discuss with their doctor what the complications of the medicine will be on the test results.
How Can High AC1 Blood Test Results Be Treated?
The most common way to treat a high or very high result is to adopt a different diet and add specific exercises to a daily routine. A nutritionist is often brought onto the treatment team and there will be foods added and subtracted from daily habits. Portion sizes may be altered as well and even eating patterns might be changed so that proper blood sugar levels can be maintained throughout the day. Low glycemic foods will typically be recommended even for those who fit into the general prediabetic categories.
The AC1 blood test will be used for tracking purposes after a diagnosis has been confirmed as well. The first high percentage result will be used as the treatment baseline. Most people who are diagnosed with diabetes from this blood test have had diabetes for some time, so treatment usually starts right away.
Although normal results are typically under 5.7%, most doctors will be happy to see an AC1 blood test result of 7% or below. Anything below 7% with a diabetes diagnosis is typically seen as managing the disease appropriately.
The one exception to these rules and test results are women who are pregnant. An overall health history and risk assessment will be conducted based on the pregnancy, the current health of the woman, and her average health over a period of time. Certain medications may be altered and other treatment options may be changed during the course of the pregnancy to keep blood sugar levels down.
The AC1 blood test is considered the gold standard for diabetes diagnosis and care management. If it has been ordered, then it is either to confirm a diabetic condition or to rule it out. Discuss any specific results with the family doctor to determine if there are any specific things that may need to be done to effectively treat diabetes now and into the future.