Ionized calcium score test in Middletown, NJ: Purpose and Procedure

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Ionized calcium test: purpose, procedure, and risks. What is an ionized calcium test? Calcium is an important mineral that the body uses in many ways. It increases the strength of bones and teeth and helps the functioning of muscles and nerves. A serum blood calcium score test in Middletown, NJ measures the total calcium in the blood, forms of calcium in the blood, which include ionized calcium, calcium attached to other minerals called anions, and calcium attached to proteins such as albumin.

Uses: Why Do You Need an Ionized Calcium Test?

A serum calcium test usually checks the amount of calcium in your blood, which includes ionized calcium and calcium associated with proteases and anions. Your doctor may want to check your calcium levels in the blood if you have signs of kidney disease, some types of cancer, or problems with your thyroid.

Ionized calcium levels give more information about active and ionized calcium. It may be important to know your levels of ionized calcium if you have abnormal levels of proteins, such as albumin, or immunoglobins, in your blood. If the balance between calcium and free calcium is not normal, it is important to find out why. Free calcium and related calcium typically make up half of your body’s total calcium. An imbalance can be a sign of a major health problem.

Discuss it with your doctor. You may need to stop taking certain medications before the test, but only if your doctor tells you to do so. Examples of medications that can affect ionized calcium levels include:

  • Lithium
  • Thyroxine
  • thiazide variable
  • Calcium salts
  • Hydralazine

Do not stop taking a medicine without talking to your doctor about it first.

Procedure How is an ionized calcium test performed?

The ionized calcium test uses a small amount of your blood. A medical professional will obtain a blood sample by performing venipuncture. They will clean a section of skin on the hand or hand, insert a needle into the vein through your skin, and then draw a small amount of blood into a test tube. An ionized calcium test is more difficult to perform than a serum calcium test. It requires special care of the blood sample, and this is done only in some cases.