Library/Electrolytes/Anion gap/17

Anion gap of 17 mEq/LWhat it means, and what usually happens next

17mEq/L Anion gap
High
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An anion gap of 17 mEq/L is above the usual range.

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Anion gap17mEq/L
Where it fallsHigh
The usual rangeabout 4 to 12 mEq/L on most modern analysers (8 to 16 on older ones); your lab's own range is the one to use

What usually happens next

A high gap can point to acid building up in the blood (from ketones, lactate or the kidneys), especially if bicarbonate is low.

Your doctor will read it with bicarbonate, glucose and kidney function, and may repeat it.

What a high anion gap usually means, and its common causes

When an anion gap can read wrong

The anion gap is worked out from sodium, chloride and bicarbonate, so any error in those moves it. Low albumin lowers it (by about 2.5 for each 1 g/dL drop), and labs use different ranges depending on their analyser.

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Questions

Is an anion gap of 17 mEq/L normal?

An anion gap of 17 mEq/L is above the usual range. The usual range is about 4 to 12 mEq/L on most modern analysers (8 to 16 on older ones); your lab's own range is the one to use.

Is an anion gap of 17 mEq/L bad?

Read it against the range on your report: modern analysers use about 4 to 12 mEq/L, older ones 8 to 16. A high gap with a low bicarbonate matters most.

Worked out by LifeFrom from Kraut and Madias's review and the usual lab ranges, and not yet reviewed by a clinician. For your own understanding: only a lab test, read by your clinician, diagnoses anything.