Hypercalcemia overview

Hypercalcemia Microchapters
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

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Overview

Hypercalcemia (in UK English Hypercalcaemia) is an elevated calcium level in the blood. (Normal range: 9-10.5 mg/dL or 2.2-2.6 mmol/L). It can be an asymptomatic laboratory finding, but because an elevated calcium level is often indicative of other diseases, a diagnosis should be undertaken if it persists. It can be due to excessive skeletal calcium release, increased intestinal calcium absorption, or decreased renal calcium excretion.

• Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the the body
• 99% of the calcium in the body is stored in the bone
• Calcium in the plasma is either ionized or protein-bound and readily available for use
• An increase in total plasma calcium concentration above 10.4 mg/dL signifies hypercalcemia
• Serum concentration is regulated through parathyroid hormone (PTH), vitamin D and calcitonin