III. Total Calcium
The total serum calcium is a measure of both
- Free (ionized) calcium t
- Protein-bound (albumin) calcium
albumin (low albumin = low calcium)
Therefore, the total serum calcium level is affected by changes in serum albumin. As a rule of thumb, the total serum calcium level decrease by approximately 0.8 mg for every 1 gram decrease in the serum albumin level.
A normal serum calcium level is 8.5-10.5 mg/dL (2.13-2.55 mmol/L) Hypercalcemia is defined as a serum calcium level greater than 10.5 mg/dL (>2.5 mmol/L).
BMP: Basic Metabolic Panel
| Component | Value | Low | High | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SODIUM | 142 | 136 | 144 | MM/L |
| POTASSIUM | 3.9 | 3.3 | 5.1 | MM/L |
| CHLORIDE | 107 | 98 | 108 | MM/L |
| CO2 | 27 | 20 | 32 | MM/L |
| BUN | 10 | 7 | 22 | MG/DL |
| CREATININE | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.5 | MG/DL |
| GLUCOSE | 100 | 70 | 100 | MG/DL |
| CALCIUM | 8.0 | 8.5 | 10.5 | MG/DL |
Your Interpretation? This patient has mild hypocalcemia
Any other test you would like to order? Serum albumin
If the serum albumin level is low, this would affect the total serum calcium level