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Hypocalcemia is a low blood calcium level. A total serum calcium of less than 8 mg/dL (2mmol/L) or ionized calcium less than 1.2 mmol/L in term neonates is defined as hypocalcemia. In preterm infants, it is defined as less than 7mg/dL (1.75 mmol/L) total serum calcium or less than 4mg/dL (1 mmol/L) ionized calcium.
Physiologically, blood calcium is tightly regulated within a narrow range for proper cellular processes. Calcium in the blood exists in three primary states: bound to proteins (mainly albumin), bound to anions such as phosphate and citrate, and as free (unbound) ionized calcium. Only the unbound ionized calcium is physiologically active.
The most striking use of Ca 2+ ions as a structural element in algae occurs in the marine coccolithophores, which use Ca 2+ to form the calcium carbonate plates, with which they are covered. Calcium is needed to form the pectin in the middle lamella of newly formed cells. Calcium is needed to stabilize the permeability of cell membranes.
Disorders of calcium metabolism occur when the body has too little or too much calcium. The serum level of calcium is closely regulated within a fairly limited range in the human body. In a healthy physiology, extracellular calcium levels are maintained within a tight range through the actions of parathyroid hormone , vitamin D and the calcium ...
The plasma total calcium concentration is in the range of 2.2–2.6 mmol/L (9–10.5 mg/dL), and the normal ionized calcium is 1.3–1.5 mmol/L (4.5–5.6 mg/dL). [4] The amount of total calcium in the blood varies with the level of plasma albumin, the most abundant protein in plasma, and therefore the main carrier of protein-bound calcium in the blood.
Once calcium is confirmed to be elevated, a detailed history taken from the subject, including review of medications, any vitamin supplementations, herbal preparations, and previous calcium values. Chronic elevation of calcium with absent or mild symptoms often points to primary hyperparathyroidism or Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia. For ...
10% calcium gluconate solution (given intravenously) is the form of calcium most widely used in the treatment of low blood calcium.This form of calcium is not as well absorbed as calcium lactate, [12] and it only contains 0.93% (93 mg/dL) calcium ion (defined by 1 g weight solute in 100 mL of solution to make 1% solution w/v).
Calcium buffering describes the processes which help stabilise the concentration of free calcium ions within cells, in a similar manner to how pH buffers maintain a stable concentration of hydrogen ions. [1] The majority of calcium ions within the cell are bound to intracellular proteins, leaving a minority freely dissociated. [2]