Venous Electrolytes

Question 1

What are the three ways to get an anion gap?

Answer 1

ketoacidosis (alcoholic or diabetic)
Lactic acidosis
Renal failure (sulfate, phosphate, urate, hippurate)

Question 2

What are three disorders that account for most cases of Non-anion gap metabolic acidosis (hyperchloremic)?

Answer 2

diarrhea
renal tubular acidosis
renal failure (chloride comes from increase chloride retention)

Question 3

Due to sloppy terminology rooted in the past, the level of venous “total CO2” or venous “CO2”, is really a measure of ____ and is expressed in ____ units.

Answer 3

the level dissolved CO2 + the level of bicarbonate, mM