Calculates gap from the difference between the cations (sodium & potassium) and anions (chloride and bicarbonate) to assess acid base balance.
Formula:
Anion Gap (mEq/L) = Sodium (mEq/L) + Potassium (mEq/L) – Chloride (mEq/L) – Bicarbonate (mEq/L)
Principle:
The anion gap (AG) is a measure of acid-base balance. Your body maintains balance by holding onto or releasing carbon dioxide through the lungs (acid) or bicarbonate through the kidneys (base). Cations are positive (base) and anions are negative (acid). The anion gap is the difference between the number of cations versus anions. An anion gap can be high, normal, or low (rare). A high anion gap indicates the presence of more anions than cations, or acidosis.
