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HbA1c and Fasting Glucose in Diabetes Care: Regular Monitoring with Home Tests
What HbA1c shows, how it differs from fasting glucose, and which tests people with diabetes need and how often: a guide to home monitoring.
Diabetes is a chronic condition in which blood sugar stays above normal. Uncontrolled, it can permanently damage eyes, kidneys, nerves and blood vessels. Good management rests on regular measurement and correct interpretation.
| Feature | Fasting glucose | HbA1c |
|---|---|---|
| Shows | Sugar at that moment | Average over 2–3 months |
| Fasting needed? | Yes, 8–12 hours | No |
| Daily variability | High | Low |
| Use | Daily adjustment, diagnosis | Long-term control, diagnosis |
| Test | Normal | Prediabetes | Diabetes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fasting glucose (mg/dL) | Below 100 | 100–125 | 126+* |
| HbA1c (%) | Below 5.7 | 5.7–6.4 | 6.5+* |
*Diagnosis usually requires confirmation.
For most adults with diabetes, the HbA1c target is around 7%, but doctors may set a looser target for older people at risk of hypoglycaemia.
HbA1c can be affected by anaemia, recent blood loss or transfusion, advanced kidney disease and pregnancy.
Other checks
- Kidneys: creatinine, eGFR and urine albumin at least yearly
- Lipids
- Eye examination for retinopathy, usually yearly
- Foot examination for sensation, wounds and circulation
- Blood pressure at every visit
- Vitamin B12 periodically for metformin users
Home glucose testing
Wash and dry hands, use the side of the fingertip and rotate fingers, store strips properly and record results with time and meals.
Watch for hypoglycaemia
Shaking, sweating, palpitations and confusion signal low blood sugar, dangerous in older people on insulin. Give fast sugar if alert; if not, give nothing by mouth and call 112.
We perform HbA1c and diabetes follow-up tests at home across Yalova, and our nurses train families in glucose testing, insulin use and foot checks, with appointments in Bursa, Istanbul and Kocaeli–Gebze.
