Chloride (Cl) Test - Serum

Your doctor may ask you to get a chloride blood test done if you have the following symptoms of acid or fluid imbalance:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Dehydration
• Breathing issues

Chloride test measures the chloride levels in the blood. Chlorides along with sodium and potassium give the electrolyte status of the body.

Chloride is an electrolyte in the blood, and chloride blood tests check if your body has appropriate levels of chloride in your blood. Many factors like dehydration, vomiting and certain medical conditions can lead to abnormal levels of chloride in your body.

During a chlorides test, a health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.

You might visit the clinic for sample collection or might opt for a home collection where your phlebotomist visits you at home to collect the sample. You can expect the following during the procedure:

• Your phlebotomist will check your arms for a vein while you are comfortably seated.
• Once the vein is located, they will disinfect the area
• A small needle will be then inserted into your vein to collect the blood sample.
• Once enough blood is collected in the syringe, the needle is removed, and a cotton ball or gauze is used to stop excess bleeding.
• To minimise any discomfort, often a bandage is placed over the site

This process hardly takes around five minutes to complete.

Low chloride levels: may occur due to overhydration, lung diseases, congestive heart failure, kidney disease, or metabolic alkalosis. 
High chloride levels: may occur due to kidney diseases, dehydration or metabolic acidosis.

There is hardly any risk involved in taking a blood test. You may have a little pain or bruise at the spot of puncture, but most of these discomforts subside quickly.

Once your phlebotomist has collected your blood sample, the sample will be sent to a laboratory for testing. Most laboratories have a turnaround time of approximately 24 hours, and once the results are obtained, your healthcare provider will share the results with you.

The results of the serum chloride test are mostly available within 24 to 48 hours. However, some laboratories may have longer turnaround times.

Many factors can control chloride levels in the blood, and having high/low values might not specify a medical condition. Please discuss your symptoms and test results with your doctor.

No special preparation is needed for this blood test. You may need to fast for around 8 to 12 hours before the test. A healthcare professional will obtain your blood sample from a vein in your arm using a small needle, which usually takes around five minutes.

Chloride blood tests are often included in other routine blood tests like:

• Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
• Basic metabolic panel (BMP)
• Electrolyte panel

For a healthy adult, the normal range for a serum chloride test is 96 to 106 milliequivalents per litre or 96 to 106 millimoles per litre.

There could be several reasons for your chloride levels not being normal.

High levels of chloride could be due to the following:

• Dehydration
• Kidney disorder
• Acidosis

Low levels of chloride could be due to the following:

• Heart failure
• Lung disease
• Addison's disease, in which the adrenal glands have an under-secretion of hormones leading to symptoms like weakness, dizziness, weight loss, and dehydration.
• Alkalosis

Chloride levels not being in the normal range does not always hint at a medical problem requiring treatment. Several things can affect your chloride levels, like excess fluids or dehydration due to vomiting or diarrhoea. Also, some medicines, such as antacids, can increase chloride levels in the body. To assess the results of your chloride test, discuss it with your doctor.

Reference

Clinical Methods: The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations. 3rd edition.

Chloride Blood Test

What Is a Chloride Test?

Chloride test - blood

What is the normal chloride level?

• Serum chloride
• Electrolyte test
• Cl Test