Staying healthy requires proactive management of your health. One of the most powerful tools for monitoring your blood sugar levels and keeping them in check is the hemoglobin A1C blood test.
Whether you’re seeking a diabetes diagnosis, tracking medication or lifestyle changes as a diabetic, or preparing for an upcoming DOT physical, understanding your A1C level is key to staying healthy and maintaining your driver certification.
At Sterchi Occupational Health, we understand the importance of convenient and reliable hemoglobin A1C blood testing. We’re here to provide valuable information about this crucial test and offer our services to individuals and DOT drivers in the Yorkville, Illinois area.
In this blog, you’ll learn what this blood sugar test is, the HbA1c test price, where to get a test, what you should know about the procedure, and more.
A hemoglobin A1C blood test, also known as an A1C test or HbA1C test, is a simple blood test that measures the average amount of glucose in your blood over the past 2-3 months.
When you check your blood sugar at home, you get a quick snapshot of that specific moment in time. But your blood sugar levels change constantly throughout the day, so that one reading doesn’t tell the whole story.
That’s where A1C testing comes in. This testing gives you a bigger picture by showing your average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. Your doctor can use these results to:
If you’re a diagnosed diabetic, you should receive consistent hemoglobin A1C blood tests along with monitoring your blood sugar levels at home.
Follow the testing schedule recommended by your doctor based on your age and risk factors. This is typically 1-2 times a year for prediabetics, or 2-plus times a year for diabetics.
Here’s how this testing works: when sugar enters your bloodstream, it sticks to a protein in your red blood cells called hemoglobin. Everyone has some sugar attached to their hemoglobin. But if your blood sugar tends to run high, more of it will stick.
The hemoglobin A1C blood test measures the percentage of hemoglobin that has sugar attached. Since red blood cells live for about three months, the test reflects your average blood sugar during that time.
An A1C result is shown as a percentage:
A1C testing is not just for diabetics. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends this test if you:
If you’re a professional driver who operates with a CDL, it’s important to know that your DOT physical will look for signs of diabetes. Your medical examiner will assess you for conditions that could be caused by diabetes, along with testing the sugars in your urine.
If your sugar levels are abnormal, you may be required to get a hemoglobin A1C blood test. This will determine whether or not you have diabetes or need further blood sugar management. You can still pass your DOT physical with diabetes, but it must be well managed.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) does not require that commercial drivers who have diabetes treated with insulin meet specific A1C requirements. A1c values may be used as a factor in your medical examiner’s assessment. However, they should not be the sole measure of determining whether you’re eligible for your medical certificate.
To be approved for your medical certificate and maintain your commercial driver’s license (CDL), you must have a “stable insulin regimen” and “properly controlled insulin-treated diabetes.” Your medical examiner determines whether you meet this criteria.
