A1C Blood Test for Type 1 Diabetes

A1c stands for glycated hemoglobin. The A1c percentage measures how much sugar is attached to the blood's hemoglobin protein.

I've wondered that too. I used to work in a diabetes clinic a million years ago, '60's, and never heard of that acronym or whatever you call it. I later worked in hematology and immunology and didn't run across it either, but later changed fields. Meantime I have pals with diabetes of both types, so this is helpful, except why did they name it that? I'm used to acronyms as short cut initials, at least in medicine.

Welcome to a2k, searcher.

I can't give you a fact answer as I don't know enough hematology (or remember enough of it) but the A in the A1C is a reference to hemoglobin A as that is what the glucose binds to. The test it self is just to measure how many stable glycoprotein have formed from when glucose binds to hemoglobin A in the blood. Let's them see on a longer basis how well you are getting rid of/absorbing that glucose (ie the last 2 to 3 months).

All in all it's just using the short hand a1c instead of go into the whole I want to test this blah blah blah. An I can understand that. Same it's a lot easier to got this person has JVD instead of having to say this person has jugular vein distention. As long as I know what I'm saying and the guy at the other end knows what I'm say we are good.