USMLE Exam Prep

Answer - A - To properly assess a diabetic’s adherence to a diet and the success of treatment, a hemoglobin A1C is used. The attachment of a sugar residue to hemoglobin within a red blood cell cannot be varied by a few days of diet control. The average red blood cell lives 90 days; therefore, if a patient has not been adhering to their diet and treatment, a physician can tell based on the level of this residue. A few days of proper diet control can make glucose levels in blood and urine appear normal.