Normal anion gap acidosis

Normal anion gap acidosis is an acidosis that is not accompanied by an abnormally increased anion gap.

The most common cause of normal anion gap acidosis is diarrhea with a renal tubular acidosis being a distant second.

The differential diagnosis of normal anion gap acidosis is relatively short (when compared to the differential diagnosis of acidosis): As opposed to high anion gap acidosis (which involves increased organic acid production), normal anion gap acidosis involves either increased production/administration of chloride (hyperchloremic acidosis) or increased excretion of bicarbonate.