1156. Ionized calcium (serum)
Description
Ionized calcium is the free, biologically active form of calcium not bound to blood proteins. It participates in hormone secretion, cell division, muscle contraction, and other essential physiological processes.
Testing is recommended in the presence of symptoms or previously diagnosed conditions of the kidneys (e.g., kidney stones), bones, thyroid or parathyroid glands, neurological disorders, or certain cancers, as well as to monitor treatment effectiveness.
Ionized calcium should be included in routine annual laboratory screening.
For comprehensive assessment, it is recommended to evaluate ionized calcium together with phosphorus, magnesium, 25(OH)D, and PTH.
When and who needs the test?
- Evaluation of calcium status in various pathological conditions (parathyroid gland disorders, bone diseases, chronic kidney and liver diseases, tetany, major trauma, sepsis, burns, pancreatitis, multiple organ failure, malignancies, etc.).
- Monitoring of calcium levels after citrate blood transfusions, heparin administration, surgery, dialysis, or extracorporeal circulation.
Biological material
- Venous blood
Preparing for a blood test
In order to exclude factors that may affect the test results, we recommend to follow the preparation rules:
- an important condition for laboratory tests is to take blood on an empty stomach.
- 6-12 hours before the test, you should avoid eating, drinking alcohol, smoking, and limit physical activity. Drinking...
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