You’ll sit in a chair, and a healthcare provider will check your arms for an easily accessible vein.You can expect to experience the following during a blood test, or blood draw: Laboratory scientists calculate the anion gap from the results of an electrolyte panel or a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), which are blood tests. What should I expect during my blood test? In any case, your healthcare provider will let you know if you need to follow any special instructions. If you’re undergoing a blood draw for a CMP, you may need to not eat or drink (fast) for several hours before your blood draw. There’s nothing you need to do to prepare in this case.Īn anion gap can also be measured from blood test results from a routine comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP). If you’re experiencing symptoms of having a blood pH imbalance, such as shortness of breath or vomiting, your provider will likely have you undergo blood tests as soon as possible. How do I prepare for an anion gap blood test? A provider then sends the sample to a lab where a medical laboratory scientist prepares the sample and performs the test on machines known as analyzers. The anion gap is also commonly included in routine bloodwork and screening, including:Ī healthcare provider called a phlebotomist usually performs blood draws, including those for an anion gap blood test, but any healthcare provider who is trained in drawing blood can perform this task. Experiencing prolonged muscle spasms (tetany).Experiencing numbness or tingling in your face, hands or feet.Feeling lightheaded and easily confused.Having an irregular heartbeat ( arrhythmia).Your healthcare provider may order a blood panel that includes an anion gap test if you have signs and symptoms of an imbalance in your blood acid levels - either acidosis (too acidic) or alkalosis (too basic). When would I need an anion gap blood test? One common application of the anion gap is classifying cases of metabolic acidosis (having a lower-than-normal blood pH), which is a potentially life-threatening condition that requires medical treatment. If your blood is too basic, you may have a condition called alkalosis. If you have too much acid in your blood, it’s called acidosis. The anion gap reveals whether your blood has an imbalance of electrolytes or if your blood is too acidic or too basic. What is an anion gap blood test used for? When the balance is off, even by a small amount, it can make you sick. Your blood's pH balance is critical to your health, and there are several ways in which your body resists change to your blood’s pH.
Usually, your body maintains the pH of your blood close to 7.4. Acidic solutions have a pH value lower than 7, and basic or alkaline solutions have a pH level higher than 7.īlood, which is over 90% water, is normally slightly basic, with a normal pH range of about 7.35 to 7.45.
A pH level of 7.0 is neutral and represents the middle of the scale. In chemistry, pH is a scale that describes how acidic or basic a water solution is. Laboratory scientists then calculate the anion gap based on those measurements. Each of the above electrolytes is individually measured in a comprehensive metabolic blood test panel and electrolyte blood test panel. The anion gap is a measurement of the difference - or gap - between the negatively charged and positively charged electrolytes. Some of the electrolytes in your blood have a positive electric charge, and others have a negative electric charge. Together, these electrolytes help control nerve and muscle function and maintain the acid-base balance (pH balance) of your blood and your water balance. The routinely measured electrolytes in your blood include: The anion gap measurement is based on the results of individual electrolyte blood tests, which are commonly included in the following routine bloodwork panels:Įlectrolytes are minerals that carry an electric charge when they are dissolved in a liquid. The anion gap is a calculation of the difference between the amounts of some negatively charged electrolytes (such as chloride and bicarbonate) and the amount of positively charged electrolytes (such as sodium) in your blood. In blood test results, anion gap (also known as serum anion gap) is a measurement to check for the acid-base balance of your blood and/or an electrolyte imbalance in your blood. What does anion gap mean in a blood test? In blood test results, anion gap is a measurement to check for the acid-base balance of your blood and/or an electrolyte imbalance in your blood.
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