A Quick Reference on High Anion Gap Metabolic Acidosis

Silvia Funes; Helio Autran de Morais

doi:10.1016/j.cvsm.2016.11.002

A Quick Reference on High Anion Gap Metabolic Acidosis

Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2017 Mar;47(2):205-207. doi: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2016.11.002. Epub 2016 Dec 23.

Authors

Silvia Funes¹, Helio Autran de Morais²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, 700 Southwest 30th Street, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
² Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, 700 Southwest 30th Street, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. Electronic address: helio.demorais@oregonstate.edu.

PMID: 28017408
DOI: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2016.11.002

Abstract

High anion gap (AG) metabolic acidoses can be identified by a decrease in pH, decrease in HCO₃^- or base excess, and an increased AG. The AG represents the difference between unmeasured cations and unmeasured anions; it increases secondary to the accumulation of anions other than bicarbonate and chloride. The most common causes of high AG acidosis are renal failure, diabetic ketoacidosis, and lactic acidosis. Severe increases in concentration of phosphorus can cause hyperphosphatemic acidosis.

Keywords: Acidosis; Anion gap; Unmeasured anions.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Acid-Base Equilibrium*
Acidosis / diagnosis
Acidosis / etiology
Acidosis / veterinary*
Acidosis, Lactic / complications
Acidosis, Lactic / veterinary
Algorithms
Animals
Diabetic Ketoacidosis / complications
Diabetic Ketoacidosis / veterinary