Hypocalcemia
Topic: Medical-surgical
Total serum calcium below the lab's lower limit (about 8.6 mg/dL); ionized (unbound) calcium may also be measured. Causes include parathyroid injury after thyroid or parathyroid surgery, vitamin D deficiency, chronic kidney disease, acute pancreatitis and hypomagnesemia. Neuromuscular irritability is the hallmark: numbness around the mouth and in the fingers, muscle cramps, tetany, positive Chvostek's and Trousseau's signs, laryngospasm, seizures and a prolonged QT. Take seizure precautions, monitor the airway and rhythm, and give calcium as ordered.
- Also known as:
- Low calcium
- In Turkish:
- Hipokalsemi
What does Hypocalcemia mean?
Hypocalcemia is part of the Medical-surgical topic in nursing. Students meet it in class, on clinical placements and while preparing for exams.
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