Diabetes Monitoring

As a diabetic, you will have to carefully monitor your health. You will use special supplies to monitor your blood sugar levels numerous times a day.

You will also take tests that measure your average blood sugar over time. The A1C test (sometimes also known as the hbA1C or glycoselated hemoglobin test) can tell you your average blood sugar level over the past two or three months. This is useful to determine if you have been effectively managing your diabetes overall. It is also useful to see if you have made any improvements: if your current blood sugar is lower than your A1C test, then you know that you are becoming more successful at maintaining a low blood sugar level.

There are a few other tests, such as the fructosamine test and the glycoselated protein test, that also measure your blood sugar level over times. These tests are generally used (if they are used at all) in conjunction with A1C testing.