Chloride, Serum
Serum chloride measures the amount of the electrolyte chloride in your blood. Chloride works with sodium to help balance fluids and maintain your body's acid-base status.
Chloride tends to move in step with sodium and bicarbonate, so it helps your clinician assess fluid balance and whether your blood is too acidic or too alkaline. It's part of the standard electrolyte panel.
A higher chloride can accompany dehydration or certain acid-base imbalances. It's rarely meaningful on its own and is interpreted alongside sodium, bicarbonate, and the anion gap.
A lower chloride can occur with fluid overload, vomiting, or some acid-base shifts, and is usually assessed in context rather than alone.
A typical range is roughly 98 to 107 mmol/L. Your clinician can explain your value in the context of the full panel.
Sources
Educational context only, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Reference ranges vary by lab, age and sex; always discuss your results with a clinician.