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Causes of increased chlorine in the blood (hyperchloremia)
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
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Hyperchloremia is divided into absolute, developing with impaired renal excretory function, and relative, associated with dehydration and blood thickening. In nephrosis, nephritis and especially nephrosclerosis, salts are retained in the body and hyperchloremia develops, chlorine passes from the blood into the extracellular fluid, into the cells of the skin, bones and other tissues, displacing other ions; chlorine begins to be excreted in significant quantities with sweat. Insufficient water intake, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of fluids and salts due to burns can lead to dehydration and the development of relative hyperchloremia. With vomiting, relative chloremia very quickly turns into hypochloremia due to the loss of chlorine by the body. These losses can reach two-thirds of its total content in the body.
Hyperchloremia (increased chlorine in the blood) may occur with decompensation of the cardiovascular system, with the development of edema. Intake of large amounts of sodium chloride with food can also lead to hyperchloremia.
In addition, hyperchloremia is possible with alkalosis, accompanied by a decrease in the content of carbon dioxide in the blood, which leads to the release of chlorine from erythrocytes into the plasma, as well as during the resorption of edema, exudates and transudates.
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