Protein in the Blood
Anion gap metabolic acidosis can be caused by various things, one of which is high protein levels in the blood. The kidneys are responsible for filtering out waste products from the blood and excreting them in urine. However, when too much protein is in the blood, the kidneys have difficulty filtering it all out, and some of it is excreted in urine and other waste products.
The waste products excreted in urine include ammonia, sulfates, phosphates, and organic acids. These waste products are acidic and cause the pH level of urine to drop. As more and more waste products are excreted in the urine, the pH level drops even further. The lower the pH level gets, the higher the anion gap becomes.
Fluids must be given intravenously to help dilute the amount of waste products in urine to correct this problem. This will help increase the pH level and reduce the anion gap. If left untreated, low anion gap metabolic acidosis can lead to serious health complications such as coma or death.
