Last Updated on January 17, 2025 by Analgesia team
HHB Medical Abbreviation
In medical terms, HHb stands for deoxyhemoglobin, which is unoxygenated hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen in the blood. When hemoglobin 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 hemoglobin include:
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Carboxyhemoglobin (COHb)Hemoglobin 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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SulfhemoglobinHemoglobin combined with sulfur, which is very rare and doesn’t carry oxygen
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Fetal hemoglobin (HbF)The main type of hemoglobin in a developing fetus