Last Updated on February 24, 2025 by Analgesia team
HHB Medical Abbreviation
In medical terms, HHb stands for deoxyhemoglobin, which is unoxygenated haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen in the blood. When haemoglobin is oxygenated, it’s called oxyhemoglobin (O2Hb) and is bright red. When deoxygenated, it’s called deoxyhemoglobin (HHb) and is dark red or purple.
HHb and O2Hb are used together to measure a person’s oxygenation status. Oxygen saturation (sO2) is the ratio of O2Hb to HHb, and it reflects how well the body is using its oxygen transport capacity.
Other types of haemoglobin include:
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Carboxyhemoglobin (COHb)Hemoglobin is bound to carbon monoxide, which prevents the normal transfer of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood
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Methemoglobin (MetHb)Hemoglobin with oxidized iron that can’t bind to oxygen and is found in the blood after certain poisonings
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SulfhemoglobinHaemoglobin combined with sulfur, which is very rare and doesn’t carry oxygen
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The main type of haemoglobin in a developing fetus