Reading a Chemistry, Cl / Chlorine

Chloride is an extracellular anion that helps with water balance (osmality), is necessary for spinal fluid production, and helps transport other ions across cellular membranes.  Chloride is a required nutrient and is often balanced with sodium.

Since Cl and Na both control osmality they'll shift out of the blood stream when water moves out.  For this reason, Chloride changes are often corrected by using the following formula:  Corrected Cl = (normal Na/measured Na) x measured C. 

Increased chlorine or "hyperchloremia" may be caused by:
- Shift of water:If the corrected Chloride falls in the normal range the change is due to a shift of water within the body.
-Pseudohyperchloremia: due to the administration of or a dietary increase of bromide which is read as chloride by some Chem machines.
-Drugs: diuretics will cause hyperchloremia as will the administration of chloride-containing fluids.
-Kidney issues: renal failure or renal tubular acidosis.
-Addison's disease
-Diabetic ketoacidosis
-Chronic respiratory alkalosis

Decreased chlorine or "hypochloremia" may be caused by:
-Vomiting: if chloride is low relative to sodium vomiting may be the reason.  Part of what makes stomach acid so acidic is an increase of chloride, so if chloride is being lost without sodium, vomiting could be the cause.
-Intestinal issues: such as diarrhea.  Chloride is absorbed in the large intestine of horses, so if there's an absorption issue chloride may be low.
-Kidney disease: may cause hypochloremia, especially in cattle.
-Too much sodium: such as from the administration of sodium-containing fluids may cause chloride to be low compared to sodium.