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Learn About Conditions and Procedures

What is Trauma?

Trauma is a serious injury or shock to the body. It is caused by a physical force such as violence or an accident. The injury may be complicated by psychiatric, behavioral, and social factors.

It is critical to have an entire team immediately available to provide care to an injured patient 24-hours a day. This teamwork starts at the scene of the injury where a coordinated, statewide pre-hospital medical system rapidly transports the injured patient from the scene to the hospital providing the appropriate level of care according to criteria established in the statewide trauma regulations. Once at the hospital, a complete team of surgeons, emergency physicians and nurses continue the life-saving treatment.

This team approach to care of the injured patient has had a dramatic impact on saving lives.

Minimally Invasive Procedures for Massive Bleeding

Injuries take many forms. The most advanced hospitals can treat injuries with a variety of approaches that involve well-known ones, like surgery, and newer ones where minimally invasive procedures can replace some surgeries.

As a Level 1 Trauma Center, Hartford Hospital has Interventional Radiologists as part of the Trauma Team. They perform procedures such as "embolization" which is a recognized interventional radiology technique that is used to treat trauma patients with massive bleeding.

Click here to see some of the advanced interventional techniques available at Hartford Hospital.

Learn more about trauma, or search below to learn about other health conditions.

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Glycosylated Hemoglobin Test

(HbA1c; GHb; Glycohemoglobin; Diabetic Control Index)

by Urmila R. Parlikar, MS

En Español (Spanish Version)

Definition | Reasons for Test | Possible Complications | What to Expect | Call Your Doctor

Definition

A glycosylated hemoglobin test (HbA1c) is a blood test that measures the amount of glycosylated hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is a protein found in the blood. Glycosylated hemoglobin means that glucose (sugar) has attached to the hemoglobin protein. The higher your blood sugar is, the more that glucose gets attached to your hemoglobin.

Glycohemoglobin

Reasons for Test

HbA1c shows how high your blood sugar levels have been during the past three months. This can help your doctor determine how well you are controlling your diabetes. Your doctor may also use HbA1c to test you for diabetes.

Possible Complications

There are no major complications associated with this test.

What to Expect

You will roll up your sleeve. An elastic band will be wrapped around your upper arm. An area on your arm will be cleaned with alcohol. The needle will then be inserted into your arm. A small amount of blood will be drawn into a tube. The needle will be removed. Pressure will be applied to the puncture site. A small bandage may be placed on the site. Your blood will be sent to a lab for testing.

Apply pressure to the site until bleeding stops.

Less than five minutes

It may hurt slightly when the needle is inserted.

Talk to your doctor about what goal is right for you. If your HbA1c levels are high, you may need a change in treatment, such as:

Changing your medicines
Increasing your level of physical activity
Modifying your diet

Talk with your doctor about when you should be tested again.

Call Your Doctor

After the test, call your doctor if any of the following occurs:

Bleeding from the puncture site
Red, swollen, or painful puncture site
If you have not heard from your doctor in 1-2 weeks

In case of an emergency, call for medical help right away.

American Diabetes Association

http://www.diabetes.org/

National Diabetes Education Program

http://ndep.nih.gov/

Canadian Diabetes Association

http://www.diabetes.ca/

Health Canada

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index-eng.php

A1C Test. Mayo Clinic website. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/a1c-test/MY00142. Updated January 21, 2011. Accessed July 31, 2012.

American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes—2008. Diabetes Care. 2008;31:S12-S54.

Aronow WS, Ahn C, Weiss MB, Babu S. Relation of increased hemoglobin A1c levels to severity of peripheral arterial disease in patients with diabetes mellitus. Am J Cardiol. 2007;99:1468-1469.

Check your hemoglobin A1c IQ. National Diabetes Education Program website. Available at: http://nfb.org/Images/nfb/Publications/vodold/vspr9905.htm. Accessed July 31, 2012.

A new number. American Diabetes Association website. Available at: http://forecast.diabetes.org/magazine/features/new-number. Accessed July 31, 2012.

Pradhan AD, Rifai N, Buring JE, Ridker PM. Hemoglobin A1c predicts diabetes but not cardiovascular disease in nondiabetic women. Am J Med. 2007;120:720-727.

Saudek CD, Herman WH, Sacks DB, et al. A new look at screening and diagnosing diabetes mellitus. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008;93:2447-2453.

Standards of medical care in diabetes mellitus. American Diabetes Association website. Available at: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/26/suppl_1/s33.full. Accessed July 31, 2012.

Last reviewed September 2012 by Brian Randall

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.