Chloride Test

Blood chloride may be useful along with sodium, to evaluate problems with the acid-base balance in the body, and to monitor treatment.

A blood chloride test may be requested to help evaluate kidney function and acid-base status. If your sodium measurement is abnormal, the doctor may look at whether the chloride measurement changes in the same way. This may help the doctor to workout if there is also a problem with acid or base and may help guide treatment.

A severe elevation or loss of this electrolyte can indicate a serious fluid and electrolyte imbalance. The type of medical treatment depends on the cause of the problem.

Increased levels of chloride (called hyperchloraemia) usually indicate dehydration, but can also occur with any other problem that causes high blood sodium. Hyperchloraemia also occurs when too much alkaline fluid is lost from the body (producing metabolic acidosis), or when a person hyperventilates (causing respiratory alkalosis).

Decreased levels of chloride (called hypochloraemia) occur with any disorder that causes low blood sodium. Hypochloraemia also occurs with prolonged vomiting or gastric suction, chronic diarrhoea, emphysema, or other chronic lung disease (causing respiratory acidosis), and with loss of alkaline fluid from the body (called metabolic alkalosis).