What does HGB mean in a blood test?

When we perform a physical examination, HGB is one of the most important value in the blood test. Understand the meaning of this item could help us be more aware of our physical condition.

What does HGB mean in a blood test?

HGB or Hb, abbreviation of hemoglobin, is a special protein that transports oxygen (each gram of hemoglobin can bind 1.34 ml of oxygen) in red blood cells. Red blood cells are common blood cells. Adults contain 3.5 million to 5.5 million red blood cells per microliter of blood. 97% of the dry weight of red blood cells is hemoglobin. The color of blood could reflect the content of hemoglobin in a certain degree and the value of HGB intuitively reflects whether the body is anemia. Anemia can cause hypoxia in tissues and organs. Severe anemia may cause hypoxia in the brain, causing dizziness and general fatigue, shortness of breath or rapid heartbeat. Therefore, there are many situations that we should measure HGB, for example, before donation of blood, massive bleeding during an operation, during the pregnancy etc. Besides that, the children, women and elderly are also susceptible population of amnesia.

What is the normal hemoglobin level?

Nowadays, the international system of units is generally adopted, based on how many grams of hemoglobin per liter (1,000 milliliters) of blood. Normal HGB ranges depend on age and gender, we could only give a reference range of value: male normal value is 120～165g/L (12.0～16.5g/dl); female normal value is 110～150g/L (11.0～15.0g/dl); newborn normal value is 180~ 190g/L (18～19g/dl); children’s normal value is 120～140g/L (12～14g/dl).

The amount of hemoglobin of newborns gradually decreases with age and approaches value of adults.

What does it mean when your hemoglobin is low?

If the HGB value is significantly lower than the normal reference value, it means that the body has symptoms of anemia. The doctor will judge which type of anemia is based on the past medical history, living habits, and other examination items. And then develop a targeted treatment plan.

According to the degree of hemoglobin reduction, anemia is divided into four degrees. The hemoglobin concentration is between 90-120g/L, which is mild anemia, 60-90g/L is moderate anemia, and 30-60g/L is severe anemia, less than 30g/L is extremely severe anemia.

Clinically, for severe anemia and extremely severe anemia, timely blood transfusion is often required. By infusing red blood cells to increase hemoglobin concentration, the symptoms of anemia can be quickly improved. However, for patients with mild and moderate anemia, appropriate food supplements can be given according to different types of anemia. For example, patients with iron deficiency anemia can take iron-rich foods, such as animal liver, pig blood, sheep blood, black fungus, shiitake mushrooms and other foods are rich in iron. By taking food, they can increase the concentration of iron in the body and promote the synthesis of hemoglobin by red blood cells, thereby preventing and improving the symptoms of iron deficiency anemia.

Pregnant woman is a population with a high incidence of anemia, especially iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy. Since there are still fetuses who need to be nourished, many moms worry that their fetuses will be malnourished because of their anemia. Generally speaking, mild anemia during pregnancy will basically not affect the fetus, but if the anemia is severe, it may have a huge impact on the fetus and the pregnant woman itself. The impact of pregnant women with moderate or higher anemia on the fetus is mainly reflected in the following three aspects:

First of all, if a pregnant woman is severely anemia, the blood in the body has a lower oxygen-carrying capacity than a normal pregnant woman, which will easily lead to hypoxia in the placenta. Hypoxia in the placenta will cause degeneration and infarction of the placental villi, and finally may cause the fetus to suffocate in the uterus, and in severe cases may also lead to premature delivery or even stillbirth.

In addition, the placenta cannot supply enough blood oxygen, and the growth and development of the fetus will become slow. Even if it is enough to be born, it will be smaller, lighter, and even less intelligent than a normal fetus.

Finally, pregnant women are severely anemia, and the iron reserves of their babies are also low. In the future, they may also cause anemia due to insufficient iron reserves.

What does high HGB mean in a blood test? What causes high hemoglobin levels?

The reasons for high hemoglobin are generally divided into physiological and pathological reasons. Physiological reasons such as people living in high altitude areas, because the oxygen content in the air is relatively low, there will be a physiological increase in hemoglobin. And for long-term smoker, they may be influenced by insufficient oxygen exchange function in the lungs, so there will be a compensatory increase in red blood cells. We don’t need to worry in these situations.
However, we should pay more attention to pathological causes including severe dehydration, blood concentration leading to increased red blood cell hemoglobin, and diseases that cause red blood cell proliferation, such as polycythemia vera. High hemoglobin will cause corresponding symptoms, such as dizziness, fatigue, elevated blood pressure, and fatigue. In this case, doctors need to perform targeted treatment to try to reduce the number of red blood cells within the normal range.

How does BLZ HB-200 Hemoglobin Analyzer measure value of HGB?

BLZ Hemoglobin Analyzer consists of a portable meter, it could not only detect the concentration of Hemoglobin but also calculate Hematocrit (HCT, measurement of the amount of red blood cells) in capillary and venous human whole blood.
Our device uses Reflectance Photometry, analyzing the intensity and color of light reflected from the reagent area of a test strip, ensuring quick and accurate results.

Both hemoglobin and hematocrit are used to diagnose anemia. Both hemoglobin and hematocrit can be measured from standard blood tests, and both values are typically reported when a doctor orders a blood count.

Why choose BLZ HB-200 Hemoglobin Analyzer

BLZ HB-200 Hemoglobin Analyzer is portable, which is easy to carry. Besides, the operation is simple, you could obtain the result by 3 steps: fingertip blood sampling, device starting up, and sample applying. And you will obtain the concentration of Hemoglobin and value of hematocrit displayed at the bottom of screen within 15 seconds.
Therefore, BLZ HB-200 Hemoglobin Analyzer could be applied in the laboratory, the blood bank and blood donation vehicle, in the emergency, pediatric, Gynecology, even in the family physician.

BLZ HB-200 Hemoglobin Analyzer is an excellent product of point-of-care testing (POCT). It is capable to perform the test near the patients and obtain a quick and accurate answer to a specific question.

References

[1] Aruch D, Mascarenhas J. Contemporary approach to essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera. ASSAYS. Current Opinion in Hematology [Internet]. 2016 Mar [cited 2017 Feb 1]; 23(2):150–60. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26717193. 

[2] Adamson JW, Finch CA. Hemoglobin function, oxygen affinity and erythropoietin. Annu Rev Physiol. 1975;37:351. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/235878/