Hypocalcaemia

In medicine, hypocalcaemia is the presence of low serum calcium levels in the blood (usually taken as less than 2.2 mmol/L or 9mg/dl or an ionized calcium level of less than 1.1 mmol/L (4.5 mg/dL)). This condition is sometimes confused with hypokalemia.

Causes

• absent parathyroid hormone (PTH)
  • hereditary hypoparathyroidism
  • acquired hypoparathyroidism
  • hypomagnesemia
• ineffective PTH
  • chronic renal failure
  • absent active vitamin D
    • decreased dietary intake
    • decreased sun exposure
    • defective Vitamin D metabolism
      • anticonvulsant therapy
      • vitamin-D dependent rickets, type I
  • ineffective active vitamin D
    • intestinal malabsorption
    • vitamin-D dependent rickets, type II
  • pseudohypoparathyroidism
• deficient PTH
  • severe acute hyperphosphatemia
    • tumor lysis syndrome
    • acute renal failure
    • rhabdomyolysis (initial stage)
  • osteitis fibrosa following parathyroidectomy

See also

• calcium metabolism
• hypercalcaemia