What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition characterised by high blood sugar. Sugar levels are regulated by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin production and your body’s ability to use it is reduced in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, respectively. Glucose is the main sugar circulating in the blood which is broken down from the foods you eat. When levels exceed energy requirements, glucose binds to haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is vital for red blood cells (RBCs), the cells responsible for carrying oxygen in the blood. The complex of glucose and haemoglobin is called haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and the formation is irreversible.

The HbA1c level indicates the average blood glucose over the past 3 months as this is how long RBCs live for. Blood glucose levels are typically high in people with diabetes resulting in elevated HbA1c. Glucose is a short-term marker of blood sugar levels given it fluctuates hugely throughout a single day. Hyperglycaemia occurs when blood sugar levels are too high, and hypoglycaemia occurs when blood sugar levels are too low. Hyperglycaemia is particularly common in people with diabetes as their body’s either do not produce sufficient insulin or are insulin resistant.

Why take the test?

This test measures the level of HbA1c and glucose. It can be used to help detect prediabetes, diagnose diabetes, monitor a patient already diagnosed with diabetes or monitor hyperglycaemia or hypoglycaemia.