What Does Your Chloride Blood Test Result Mean?

Getting test results can be stressful. Especially if something is out of the normal range. Chloride is one of those results that can spark confusion. It’s an electrolyte that’s usually checked as part of a larger panel of bloodwork. Alongside other electrolytes, chloride can signal whether your body is in a healthy state of fluid and chemical balance. But it can be a little confusing to know what it means when your level is high or low.

What does a chloride blood test tell you?

One common blood test panel that includes chloride is a basic metabolic panel. It looks at electrolytes, glucose, and kidney function. A comprehensive metabolic panel looks at these results as well as protein and liver function.

Chloride on its own doesn’t give much specific information. But combined with other tests on a blood panel, it can give important clues about the balance of fluids and acids in the body. If your chloride level is off, there could be an underlying condition that needs treatment.

For most laboratories, a normal chloride test result is between 96 and 106 mEq/L or mmol/L. The lab’s normal reference range will also be listed. Sometimes the way the blood is drawn or processed can affect the result. Temporary changes in your body — like being dehydrated or drinking a lot of water — can also affect chloride in the short term. 

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Why was my chloride checked?

Chloride is most often done as part of a routine panel of bloodwork. It’s not usually ordered as a test on its own. Some specific reasons to check electrolytes like chloride include:

• To track side effects of medications like diuretics that can affect electrolytes

• To follow health conditions that affect fluid balance and electrolytes, which is common with conditions like heart failure, kidney disease, or intestinal condition that affect nutrition and absorption 

• To make decisions about IV fluids and medications for hospitalized patients

• To investigate the cause of certain symptoms, such as confusion, weakness, or heart rhythm problems

Chloride levels are also sometimes checked in urine, sweat, and stool. These are usually done to diagnose or manage particular health conditions. Here we’ll discuss only chloride blood tests.

Low chloride levels

A low chloride level, or hypochloremia, happens when your result falls below the lab’s normal reference range. Some health conditions that cause this include:

• Heart failure

• Vomiting or diarrhea

• Some medications, like diuretics

• Addison’s disease, a condition where the adrenal glands don’t make enough of certain hormones

• Chronic lung disease, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

• Some forms of kidney disease

• Metabolic alkalosis, which can happen with severe dehydration, laxative use, and certain medical conditions like cystic fibrosis

Low chloride can also happen after taking too many antacids or drinking large amounts of water. 

Usually, if chloride is very low, other electrolytes will also be abnormal. Sodium is often low when chloride is low. 

High chloride levels

A high chloride level, or hyperchloremia, is when the blood chloride result falls above the standard range. Some reasons for high chloride include:

• Metabolic acidosis, which can happen with health conditions or substances that cause acid to build up in the body

• Dehydration

• Kidney disease

• Some forms of diarrhea

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High chloride levels often go along with changes in other electrolytes, like sodium. Your healthcare provider will look at the chloride in the context of all the lab results. That will give clues about the cause.

When to contact a healthcare provider

Chloride that’s just outside the normal range is unlikely to mean anything serious. Especially if the other tests are normal. Sometimes you’ll repeat a blood test to see if the results are similar.

If you’re feeling sick and have abnormal chloride results, contact your healthcare provider. This is especially true if you:

• Have vomiting or diarrhea that won’t stop

• Are feeling dizzy, weak, or confused

• Are having trouble breathing

• Have significant or worsening swelling

• Have muscle twitching or tingling

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Written by:

Anne Jacobson, MD, MPH

Anne Jacobson, MD, MPH has been a board-certified family physician since 1999. She worked as a full-scope family physician (inpatient, outpatient, obstetrics, and office procedures) in the Cook County Ambulatory Health Network for 15 years.

Edited by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

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