This usually takes less than five minutes. You don't need any special preparations for an anion gap blood test. If your health care provider has also ordered other blood tests, you may need to fast not eat or drink for several hours before the test. Your health care provider will let you know if there are any special instructions to follow. There is very little risk to having this test.
You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly. If your results show a high anion gap, you may have acidosis, which means higher than normal levels of acid in the blood. Acidosis may be a sign of dehydration , diarrhea , or too much exercise. It may also indicate a more serious condition such as kidney disease or diabetes.
If your results show a low anion gap, it may mean you have a low level of albumin, a protein in the blood. Low albumin may indicate kidney problems, heart disease, or some types of cancer.
Since low anion gap results are uncommon, retesting is often done to ensure the results are accurate. Talk to your health care provider to learn what your results mean. Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results. The anion gap blood test can provide important information about the acid and base balance in your blood. But there are a wide range of normal results, so your health care provider may recommend additional testing to make a diagnosis.
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. Anion Gap Blood Test. If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please leave a comment or contact us at support selfhacked. Note that each number in parentheses [1, 2, 3, etc. The anion gap is a value calculated from the results of an electrolyte blood test which informs clinicians about the balance of positively and negatively charged particles in the blood.
The anion gap is a value that represents the difference between positively charged ions cations and negatively charged ions anions in the blood. The anion gap cannot be directly measured, instead, it is calculated from the results of an electrolyte panel, another type of blood test. The anion gap is calculated using the concentrations of the major anions in the blood, chloride and bicarbonate , and the major cations, sodium and potassium. However, the concentration of potassium in the blood is usually much lower compared to sodium, chloride, and bicarbonate.
Therefore, it is common practice to not use potassium when calculating the anion gap, as it usually has little effect [ 1 ]. In the body, the total positive charge from cations should equal the total negative charge from anions in the blood to maintain overall neutrality.
However, blood tests usually do not measure all types of ions. This means the anion gap gives us a picture of the unmeasured anions and cations in the blood. There are normally more unmeasured anions than cations, hence there is usually an anion gap [ 2 ]. Clinically, the anion gap value is primarily used to help evaluate acid-base disorders , which occur when the concentration of acids and bases in the blood becomes unbalanced [ 2 ].
Although the term anion gap usually refers to the concentrations of cations and anions in the blood, it can also refer to their concentrations in the urine, which is also clinically useful [ 3 ]. Normal ranges can vary between laboratories due to differences in equipment, techniques, and chemicals used.
If your results are outside of the normal range, it may not necessarily mean there is something wrong. Always talk with your doctor to learn more about your test results. Lipodystrophy is a rare condition that causes unusual fat accumulation on the body. There is no cure, but the management of complications can help.
Low anion gap: Causes, test, and treatment. Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. Causes of a low anion gap Causes of a high anion gap Symptoms Treatment Takeaway An anion gap is calculated by using the results of an electrolyte blood test.
Causes of a low anion gap. Share on Pinterest An electrolyte blood test is used to calculate an anion gap. Causes of a high anion gap. Share on Pinterest Drowsiness and fatigue can be symptoms of acidosis. Exposure to air pollutants may amplify risk for depression in healthy individuals. Costs associated with obesity may account for 3. Related Coverage. Everything you need to know about electrolytes. Medically reviewed by Grant Tinsley, PhD.
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