Hypercalcemia
Hypercalcemia simply means that your calcium level in the blood is higher than normal. In our body, there’s a delicate balance between calcium and phosphate, and hypercalcemia indicates that this balance is disrupted. In a healthy person, the total serum calcium level ranges between 8.6-10.4 mg/dL (2.15-2.60 mmol/L; 4.3 – 5.2 mEq/L). The physiologically active form is ionized calcium. In your blood tests, a plasma calcium level exceeding the laboratory’s specified reference range is defined as hypercalcemia.
Hypocalcemia
Hypocalcemia simply means that your calcium level in the blood drops below normal. Calcium, primarily stored in our bones, quietly plays a crucial role in many vital bodily functions. The ionized calcium circulating freely in the blood is critically important for countless biological processes, ranging from nerve transmission and muscle contraction to blood clotting and bone health. If your blood tests show an ionized calcium level below 1.16 mmol/L or a total calcium level below 2.12 mmol/L, this indicates a deficiency of this essential mineral.