Metabolic by Electrolytes

You can tell if a person has Metabolic Acidosis by using the Anion Gap.

The Anion Gap is a difference between the cations and anions. The anion gap indicator # you look at is > 20 mEq for Metabolic Acidosis. Cations are the positive ions in the serum. Anions will are the negatives. Na and K (sodium, potassium) are positive (cations). Cl and HCO3 (chloride and bicarbonate) are negatives (anions).

So here’s the math:

Now the Question is –

Is metabolic acidosis present (anion gap > 20 mEq/L) ?

Answer – Yes, metabolic acidosis is present with an anion gap of 24.