Do You Need the Serum Chloride Test?

Submitted by Dr S. Patel on 8 June 2017

This time in our Health by Numbers/Medical Tests series, Dr Shital Raval takes a look at the importance of Chloride levels in the electrolyte panel.

Read the first part on Sodium Levels and second part on Potassium Levels

An electrolyte panel is a blood test that measures the common minerals in the body such as sodium, calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. Electrolytes are essential for the proper functioning of the heart, muscles and brain as they are needed to maintain balance in the body fluids. An electrolyte panel blood test is sometimes ordered as part of a regular health check or to check on any electrolyte changes.

CHLORIDE:

Chloride or Cl is an electrolyte that helps keep the acid-base balance in the body and fluid levels. It also aids in maintain pH levels and healthy blood pressure and blood volume. Most chloride comes from salt (NaCl) that is consumed. The serum chloride test is often part of the electrolyte panel to evaluate kidney and liver function.

*The normal range for blood chloride is between 96 to 106 milliequivalents per liter of blood (mEq/L).

High level:

A blood chloride level above normal is called Hyperchloremia. Causes include:

  • Glaucoma drugs called Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
  • Metabolic or renal acidosis, where there is excess acid production or less acid excretion by the kidneys.
  • Respiratory alkalosis when there is less CO2 in the blood.
  • Bromide poisoning.

A blood chloride levels below normal is called Hypochloremia. Causes include:

  • Cardiac failure
  • Loss of bodily fluids due to vomiting, diarrhea or sweating.
  • Metabolic alkalosis when the tissues become alkaline.
  • Respiratory acidosis where the lungs are unable to remove excess CO2 from the body.
  • Addison’s disease, where he adrenal gland do not produce enough hormones (such as cortisol and aldosterone etc).

Read the first part on Sodium Levels and second part on Potassium Levels

Changed
08/Jun/2017
Community
Heart and Cardio-vascular
Kidney, Urinary, Gastro Intestinal, Liver
PatientsEngage General Community
Condition
Cardiovascular Diseases
Chronic Kidney Disease

Stories

  • Do You Need the Serum Chloride Test?
    This time in our Health by Numbers/Medical Tests series, Dr Shital Raval takes a look at the importance of Chloride levels in the electrolyte panel. Read the first part on Sodium Levels and second part on Potassium Levels An electrolyte panel is a blood test that measures the common minerals in the body such as sodium, calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. Electrolytes are essential for the proper functioning of the heart, muscles and brain as they are needed to…
  • Why is Potassium Level Important?
    This time in our Health by Numbers/Medical Tests series, Dr Shital Raval takes a look at the importance of Potassium levels in the electrolyte panel. Read the first part on Sodium Levels  POTASSIUM: Potassium is both a mineral and electrolyte. It is important for heart, muscle, digestive and nerve functioning.  The potassium test is often part of a routine or done to check on the electrolyte balance of the body. The best sources of potassium are: Leafy greens such as swiss chard,…
  • Smoking Causes Early Death Among 50% of its Users
    Dr Prakash C. Gupta, Director of Healis-Sekhsaria Institute of Public Health, has researched public health in India extensively over decades and shares with us his valuable opinions on tobacco use and cessation. Scroll down to sign the pledge The Age when it all begins Even when it may be difficult to ascertain the age in which people start smoking, the mean age of initiating tobacco use in any form in India is determined at 17.8 years: 18 for males, 17.1 for females. For smoking, it is 17.9 (…
  • The Importance of Electrolyte Balance - Sodium
    This time in our Health by Numbers/Medical Tests series, Dr Shital Patel takes a look at our electrolyte levels in our blood. An electrolyte imbalance, commonly caused by loss of body fluids through prolonged vomiting, diarrhoea, sweating or high fever, can result in various health disorders, like restlessness, anxiety, kidney diseases or even cardiac arrest. An Electrolyte Panel is a blood test that measures the common minerals in the body such as sodium, calcium, chloride, magnesium,…
  • Physical Activity and Exercise Can Help Keep Mental Illness in Control
    Exercise and yoga can improve quality of life for people with mental illness and reduce risks of strokes, diabetes, auditory hallucinations and other health problems, informs Dr R Padmavati, Additional Director, Schizophrenia Research Foundation. World Health Organisation defines physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. Physical activity is not just "exercise". Exercise, is a subcategory of physical activity that is planned,…
  • Together, We are Able to Overcome Rejections and Obstacles
    Preethi Srinivasan was a young and energetic achiever in every sense of the word, till an accident made her a quadriplegic overnight. On Mother’s Day, Preethi’s mother Vijayalakshmi Srinivasan talks about what it means to be a mother and a friend to her daughter and to ensure her daughter always feels loved and cared for. From being a mother of a super achiever child to suddenly having to cope with the child's disability, what were your first thoughts and feelings? On the day of her accident,…
  • How to Avoid Dialysis and Kidney Failure
    It is estimated that about 2 lakh (200,000) new patients develop end-stage kidney failure every year in India. Dialysis can extend their life, but the treatment can be demanding and disruptive. Dr. Jyotsna Zope, a senior consultant Nephrologist gives us an overview about dialysis and advices ways to prevent kidney problems and diseases. What is dialysis? Dialysis is a procedure by which waste product and excess water are removed from the body. The waste products (‘Uremic toxins’) are the end…
  • How to Stay Healthy after Menopause
    Post-Menopause is tied to long-term health problems if wholesome food intake and regular physical activity is not practiced. Nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju shares tips on what to eat and importance of exercise. Menopause is a natural biological process. It is the time when a woman stops menstruating. The hormones estrogen and progesterone production will be low and the ovaries no longer produce eggs. In women, estrogen is mainly produced in the ovaries. It is also produced in fat cells and…
  • Picture of meat, fish, eggs and cheese
    White Meat vs Red Meat: Which is Healthier?
    Is it true that red meat should be avoided, while white meat encouraged? Bonnie Lau, an Australian-trained dietitian, answers. Here, we compare the pros and cons of both and helps you decide which type of meat you should eat in the future. Meat is a great source of protein and lots of vitamins and minerals. But there are claims that red meat (mutton, lamb, beef, pork) should generally be avoided, while white meat (chicken, duck, fish) is encouraged. We look at this closer and compare pros and…
  • Life will only get you down if you focus on the negatives
    61 year old Mdm Ruhaya is lovingly referred to as ‘sayang’ by the nurses here at KDF. With a characteristic twinkle in her eye and a warm chatty personality, one would not guess that she is a kidney failure patient. Mdm Ruhaya stays positive despite her illness and says that she has learnt to adapt to the hardships she faces by choosing to focus on the simple joys of everyday life. However, she acknowledges that life has been exceptionally cruel to her over the years. At a young age she not…