A patient has an anion gap of 21 mEq/L. Based on this information, what can you conclude?
1) There is an abnormal excess of unmeasured anions in the plasma.
2) The patient probably has metabolic acidosis.
3) The concentration of fixed acids is decreased.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An anion gap of 21 mEq/L is higher than the normal range (8-16 mEq/L) and indicates the presence of additional unmeasured anions in the plasma, which can contribute to metabolic acidosis. The concentration of fixed acids is not necessarily decreased in this case, as metabolic acidosis can be caused by various factors such as accumulation of lactic acid or loss of bicarbonate. Therefore, choices 1 and 2 are correct, and choice 3 is not necessarily true.

A Patient Has an Anion Gap of 21 MEq/L