Metabolic Acidosis

Question 1

What is an anion gap?

Significance of an elevated Gap?

Answer 1

AGAP is the difference between:
(Na+) – (Cl- +HCO3-)
It is an indication of unmeasured anions.
An elevated GAP strongly suggests metabolic acidosis

Question 2

What is the cutoff above which metabolic acidosis is invariably present?

Answer 2

> 30

Metabolic Acidosis is invariably present

Question 3

Anion gap depends on what two serum factors?

Answer 3

Phosphate and albumin

Question 4

What is the major anion causing a GAP?

Answer 4

Albumin is the unmeasured anion and contributes almost all of the gap