HbA1c Diabetes - Finger prick

This finger prick test sees what has been going on with your sugar levels over the past few months (EDTA).

Glucose circulating in the blood tends to bind spontaneously to hemoglobin, the oxygen transport protein in red blood cells. Once glucose is bound, it does not release. This bond is called hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). The degree of glucose binding depends on the amount of glucose in the blood.

HbA1c provides a more reliable blood glucose picture than a glucose measurement because HbA1c levels are not affected by current changes in diet or medication. The lifespan of red blood cells (and therefore hemoglobin) is 2 to 3 months so the HbA1c value gives an impression of the average glucose level over the last few months.