HbA1c

Also: A1c, glycated hemoglobin

In plain language

A blood test that shows your average blood sugar over the past two to three months.

Technical definition

The percentage of hemoglobin that is glycated, reflecting mean blood glucose over roughly the preceding 8–12 weeks; a standard measure for diagnosing and monitoring diabetes.

Because it reflects a multi-month average rather than a single moment, HbA1c is the primary endpoint in most diabetes drug trials. A reduction in HbA1c is a common way to compare the glucose-lowering strength of different treatments.

References

  1. NIDDK — The A1C Test & Diabetes