How reports print it
CaОбщий кальцийКальцийCa общийCalciumCalcium total
What it shows
Calcium is needed by bones, muscles, nerves and blood clotting. Total calcium includes the part bound to the protein albumin.
Units and conversion
Base unit: mmol/L.
- 1 mg/dL = 0.2495 mmol/L · 1 mmol/L = 4.008 mg/dL
Typical ranges
Your laboratory’s range comes first — it is printed on the report next to the result. Below is one laboratory’s adult range with its method: a reference, not a rule.
| Who | Range, mmol/L |
|---|---|
| Adults, 18–59 years | 2.15–2.5 |
| Adults, 60–89 years | 2.2–2.55 |
| Adults, 90 years and older | 2.05–2.4 |
Range source: Лаборатория Хеликс — Кальций общий в сыворотке
Critical values
Urgent thresholds per the source below: ≤ 1.52 mmol/L or ≥ 3.24 mmol/L. If your report has such a value, see a doctor today; if you feel unwell right now, call 103 or 112.
- Critical values comparison: a College of American Pathologists Q-Probes survey of 163 clinical laboratories — Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, 2007
Why it can be higher
Common reasons discussed with a doctor. This is not a diagnosis.
- Overactive parathyroid glands
- Too much vitamin D
- Dehydration
- Some medicines
Why it can be lower
- Low albumin: total calcium looks lower
- Low vitamin D
- Underactive parathyroid glands
- Kidney conditions
What to ask a doctor
- Is it worth checking albumin or ionised calcium?
- Should parathyroid hormone be checked?
Whom to see
A GP or internist; then an endocrinologist.