|
Because
diabetics test their blood on glucose monitors several times a day they
come to intimately understand the readings (mg/dl) and what the numbers
mean.
On the
other hand, quarterly lab tests (which use a very different scale) are far
less
understood. This is true even though the lab test (HbA1c) is a better gauge of how well diabetes and its consequences are being
controlled.
Daily testing is affected by many factors and is subject
to considerable variation, but the HbA1c test reflects a diabetic's average
condition over a three month period. It is thus important for the diabetic to
understand his or her lab result just as well as readings taken at
home.
The
printable chart puts HbA1c in the context of readings from a home
monitor. This is helpful not only because it makes HbA1c easier to
relate to, but also because it demonstrates how even seemingly small
increases on the HbA1c scale can spell trouble. For example, moving
from 6.2 to 7.5 (Hba1c) is the same as moving from 131 to 169 on a home
monitor.
Last updated August 3, 2011
|
