Glycated hemoglobin (hemoglobin A1c, HbA1c, A1C, or Hb1c; sometimes also referred to as being Hb1c or HGBA1C) is a form of hemoglobin that is measured primarily to identify the three-month average plasma glucose concentration. The test is limited to a three-month average because the lifespan of a red blood cell is four months (120 days). However, since red blood cells do not all undergo lysis at the same time, HbA1c is taken as a limited measure of three months. It is formed in a non-enzymatic glycation pathway by hemoglobin’s exposure to plasma glucose.
