A patient has a serum sodium level of 145 mEq/L, serum chloride level of 114 mEq/L, and serum bicarbonate level of 20 mEq/L. What should the nurse calculate as being this patient's anion gap?
What will be an ideal response?
Correct Answer: 11 mEq/L
The anion gap is calculated by subtracting the sum of two measured anions, chloride and bicarbonate, from the concentration of the major cation, sodium. For this patient the equation would be 145 – (114 + 20) = 145 – 134 = 11 mEq/L.
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