Calcium (Ca) in Blood

Blood Calcium

Why It Is Done

A blood calcium test may be done:

• To check for problems with the parathyroid glands or kidneys, certain types of cancers and bone problems, inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), and kidney stones. Abnormal results on an electrocardiogram (EKG) test may be caused by high or low calcium levels.
• To see if your symptoms may be caused by a very low calcium level in the blood. Such symptoms may include muscle cramps and twitching, tingling in the fingers and around the mouth, muscle spasms, confusion, or depression.
• To see if your symptoms may be caused by a very high calcium level in the blood. Such symptoms may include weakness, lack of energy, not wanting to eat, nausea and vomiting, constipation, urinating a lot, belly pain, or bone pain.
• As part of a routine blood test.

A blood calcium test cannot be used to check for a lack of calcium in your diet or for the loss of calcium from the bones (osteoporosis). The body can have normal calcium levels even if your diet does not have enough calcium in it. Other tests, such as bone mineral density, check the amount of calcium in the bones.

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Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS	Last Updated: October 25, 2006
Medical Review:	Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine Philip Belitsky, MD, FRCSC - Urology
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