Patient education: Bicarbonate test (The Basics)

What is a bicarbonate test? — A bicarbonate test is a type of blood test. It measures the amount of a substance called "bicarbonate" in the body.

Bicarbonate is a form of carbon dioxide. It is also one of many substances in the body called "electrolytes." Having the right amount of bicarbonate in the body is important for keeping a normal "acid-base" balance. The body needs the right balance of acids and bases to work correctly. Bicarbonate is a base that helps balance out the acids in the body.

Having too much or too little bicarbonate can be a sign of a problem.

Bicarbonate might be measured as part of another type of blood test, such as an "electrolyte panel" or "basic metabolic panel." These tests measure the amount of bicarbonate plus other substances in the blood.

Why might I need a bicarbonate test? — Your doctor might order this test:

●As part of an electrolyte panel or basic metabolic panel – This can check if you have an electrolyte, acid-base, or fluid imbalance.

●To check if your medicines are working properly – For example, this might be done if you are being treated for an acid-base disorder.

Some problems that can affect your bicarbonate level include:

●Kidney disease

●Lung disease

●Severe vomiting or diarrhea

●Eating or drinking something that is toxic or poisonous

How do I prepare for a bicarbonate test? — For this test, you need to get a "blood draw." Your doctor or nurse will tell you where to go for this.

It might help to wear a short-sleeve shirt to your blood draw appointment. This makes it easier for the person your blood to get to your arm.

What happens during a blood draw? — For the blood draw, a needle is used to take a small amount of blood from your arm (figure 1). Collecting the blood only takes a few minutes. The blood is then tested in a lab.

Tell the person who takes your blood:

●If you take "blood thinner" medicines or if you have a bleeding problem – They will make sure that your bleeding is under control before you leave.

●If you have a latex allergy – Some of the supplies used for blood draws might contain latex.

●If you have a preferred arm to use

Most of the time, getting blood taken does not cause problems. You might have a little soreness or bruising where the needle went in.

What do my results mean? — Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to expect your results, and will contact you with the results. Or if you use an online "patient portal," you might get an alert there when your results are ready.

If your bicarbonate test shows any abnormal results, your doctor or nurse will talk to you about what to do next. They might need to do more tests to figure out what the cause is.

If you do have a health problem, your doctor will work with you to come up with a plan for treatment.

More on this topic

Patient education: Electrolyte panel (The Basics)
Patient education: Basic metabolic panel (The Basics)