Hemoglobin Test Health Article

Definition

Hemoglobin is a protein inside red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. A hemoglobin test reveals how much hemoglobin is in a person's blood, helping to diagnose and monitor anemia and polycythemia vera.

Purpose

A hemoglobin test is done when a person is ill or during a general physical examination. Good health requires an adequate amount of hemoglobin. The amount of oxygen in the body tissues depends on how much hemoglobin is in the red cells. Without enough hemoglobin, the tissues lack oxygen and the heart and lungs must work harder to try to compensate.

If the test indicates a "less than" or "greater than" normal amount of hemoglobin, the cause of the decrease or increase must be discovered. A low hemoglobin usually means the person has anemia. Anemia results from conditions that decrease the number or size of red cells, such as excessive bleeding, a dietary deficiency, destruction of cells because of a transfusion reaction or mechanical heart valve, or an abnormally formed hemoglobin.

A high hemoglobin may be caused by polycythemia vera, a disease in which too many red blood cells are made.

Hemoglobin levels also help determine if a person needs a blood transfusion. Usually a person's hemoglobin must be below 8 gm/dl before a transfusion is considered.

Description

Hemoglobin is made of heme, an iron compound, and globin, a protein. The iron gives blood its red color. Hemoglobin tests make use of this red color. A chemical is added to a sample of blood to make the red blood cells burst. When they burst, the red cells release hemoglobin into the surrounding fluid, coloring it clear red. By measuring the color using an instrument called a spectrophotometer, the amount of hemoglobin is determined.

Hemoglobin is often ordered as part of a complete blood count (CBC), a test that includes other blood cell measurements.

Some people inherit hemoglobin with an abnormal structure. These abnormal hemoglobins cause diseases, such as sickle cell or Hemoglobin C disease. Special tests, using a process called hemoglobin electrophoresis, identify abnormal hemoglobins.