Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)

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• What is HbA1c?
• Why measure HbA1c?
• How is HbA1c measured?
• What are the limitations to measuring HbA1c?
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors
• Viewer Comments: Hemoglobin - Helped With Your Diagnosis

What is HbA1c?

Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying pigment that gives blood its red color and is also the predominant protein in red blood cells. About 90% of hemoglobin is hemoglobin A (the "A" stands for adult type). Although one chemical component accounts for 92% of hemoglobin A, approximately 8% of hemoglobin A is made up of minor components that are chemically slightly different. These minor components include hemoglobin A1c, A1b, A1a1, and A1a2. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is a minor component of hemoglobin to which glucose is bound. HbA1c also is sometimes referred to as glycosylated or glycosylated hemoglobin or glycohemoglobin.

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