A chloride test measures the level of chloride in your blood or urine. Chloride is one of the most important electrolytes in the blood. It helps keep the amount of fluid inside and outside of your cells in balance. It also helps maintain proper blood volume, blood pressure, and pH of your body fluids.
Chloride – urine test
Urinary chloride
The urine chloride test measures the amount of chloride in a certain volume of urine.
How the Test is Performed
After you provide a urine sample, it is tested in the lab. If needed, the health care provider may ask you to collect your urine at home over a period of 24 hours . Your provider will tell you how to do this. Follow instructions exactly so that the results are accurate.
How to Prepare for the Test
Your provider will ask you to temporarily stop taking any medicines that may affect the test result. Tell your provider about all the medicines you take, including:
- Acetazolamide
- Corticosteroids
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Water pills (diuretic medicines)
DO NOT stop taking any medicine before talking to your provider.
How the Test will Feel
The test involves only normal urination. There is no discomfort.
Why the Test is Performed
Your provider may order this test if you have signs of a condition that affects body fluids or acid-base balance.
Normal Results
The normal range is 110 to 250 mEq/L per day. This range depends on the amount of salt and fluid you take in.
The examples above are common measurements for results of these tests. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test result.
What Abnormal Results Mean
A higher than normal urine chloride level may be due to:
- Low function of the adrenal glands
- Inflammation of the kidney that results in salt loss (salt-losing nephropathy)
- Production of an unusually large amount of urine (polyuria)
- Too much salt in the diet
Decreased urine chloride level may be due to:
- Body holding in too much salt (sodium retention)
- Cushing syndrome
- Decreased salt intake
- Fluid loss that occurs with diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, and gastric suction
Risks
There are no risks with this test.
Chloride test – blood
Serum chloride test
Chloride is a type of electrolyte . It works with other electrolytes such as potassium, sodium, and carbon dioxide (CO2). These substances help keep the proper balance of body fluids and maintain the body’s acid-base balance.
This article is about the laboratory test used to measure the amount of chloride in the fluid portion (serum) of the blood.
How the Test is Performed
A blood sample is needed. Most of the time blood is drawn from a vein located on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand.
How to Prepare for the Test
Many medicines can interfere with blood test results.
- Your health care provider will tell you if you need to stop taking any medicines before you have this test.
- DO NOT stop or change your medicines without talking to your provider first.
Why the Test is Performed
You may have this test if you have signs that your body’s fluid level or acid-base balance is disturbed.
This test is most often ordered with other blood tests, such as a basic or comprehensive metabolic panel.
Normal Results
A typical normal range is 96 to 106 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L) or 96 to 106 millimoles per liter (millimol/L).
Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
The example above shows the common measurement range for results for these tests. Some laboratories use different measurements or may test different specimens.
What Abnormal Results Mean
A greater-than-normal level of chloride is called hyperchloremia. It may be due to:
- Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (used to treat glaucoma)
- Diarrhea
- Metabolic acidosis
- Respiratory alkalosis (compensated)
- Renal tubular acidosis
A lower-than-normal level of chloride is called hypochloremia. It may be due to:
- Addison disease
- Bartter syndrome
- Burns
- Congestive heart failure
- Dehydration
- Excessive sweating
- Hyperaldosteronism
- Metabolic alkalosis
- Respiratory acidosis (compensated)
- Syndrome of inappropriate diuretic hormone secretion ( SIADH )
- Vomiting
This test may also be done to help rule out or diagnose:
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) II
- Primary hyperparathyroidism
