OK all you bio majors...
Recent labs came back w/ high chloride and low Carbon Dioxide (not too extreme but out of recommended range)... any suggestions for what might cause these levels?
CHLORIDE
/labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/chloride/tab/test/Excerpt:
"An increased level of blood chloride (called hyperchloremia) usually indicates dehydration, but can also occur with other problems that cause high blood sodium, such as Cushing syndrome or kidney disease. Hyperchloremia also occurs when too much base is lost from the body (producing metabolic acidosis) or when a person hyperventilates (causing respiratory alkalosis).
A decreased level of blood chloride (called hypochloremia) occurs with any disorder that causes low blood sodium. Hypochloremia also occurs with congestive heart failure, prolonged vomiting or gastric suction, Addison disease, emphysema or other chronic lung diseases (causing respiratory acidosis), and with loss of acid from the body (called metabolic alkalosis).
An increased level of urine chloride can indicate dehydration, starvation, Addison disease, or increased salt intake. If both chloride and sodium levels are high in a person on a restricted salt diet, the person is not complying with the diet.
A decreased level of urine chloride can be seen with Cushing syndrome, Conn syndrome, congestive heart failure, malabsorption syndrome, and diarrhea."
CARBON DIOXIDE
/labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/co2/tab/test/Excerpt:
"When bicarbonate levels are higher or lower than normal, it suggests that the body is having trouble maintaining its acid-base balance, either by failing to remove carbon dioxide through the lungs or the kidneys or perhaps because of an electrolyte imbalance, particularly a deficiency of potassium. Both of these imbalances may be due to a wide range of conditions.
Examples of causes of a low bicarbonate level include:
Addison disease
Chronic diarrhea
Diabetic ketoacidosis
Metabolic acidosis
Respiratory alkalosis, which can be caused by hyperventilation
Shock
Kidney disease
Ethylene glycol or methanol poisoning
Salicylate (aspirin) overdose
Examples of causes of a high bicarbonate level include:
Severe, prolonged vomiting and/or diarrhea
Lung diseases, including COPD
Cushing syndrome
Conn syndrome
Metabolic alkalosis"
-p
Post Edited (Pirouette) : 5/4/2017 10:37:10 AM (GMT-6)