Hypocalcemia is a total serum calcium concentration < 8.8 mg/dL (< 2.20 mmol/L) in the presence of normal plasma protein concentrations or a serum ionized calcium concentration < 4.7 mg/dL (< 1.17 mmol/L). Causes include hypoparathyroidism, vitamin D deficiency, and renal disease. Manifestations include paresthesias, tetany, and, when severe, seizures, encephalopathy, and heart failure. Diagnosis involves measurement of serum calcium with adjustment for serum albumin concentration. Treatment ... Read chapter 23-07 of Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2025 online now, exclusively on AccessMedicine. AccessMedicine is a subscription-based resource from McGraw Hill that features trusted medical content from the best minds in medicine. Hypocalcemia is a medical condition characterized by low levels of calcium in the blood. Calcium is an essential mineral that plays a crucial role in various bodily functions, including muscle contraction, nerve transmission, blood clotting, and bone health. Hypocalcemia is an electrolyte derangement commonly encountered on surgical and medical services. This derangement can result from a vast spectrum of disorders. The condition may be transient, reversing with addressing the underlying cause expeditiously, or chronic and even lifelong, when due to a genetic disorder or the result of irreversible damage to the parathyroid glands after surgery or secondary to autoimmune destruction. Adult and pediatric endocrinologists must carefully assess ...
