Chughtai Lab Calcium Test and Price Details
Calcium is an essential mineral in the human body. Your blood contains around 1% of the calcium in your body, while teeth and bones store 99% of it. The right amount of calcium in your blood is essential for the proper functioning of your heart, muscles, and nerves. Additionally, it facilitates the release of hormones that impact several bodily processes and helps blood vessels transport blood throughout the body.
What is a calcium blood test?
A calcium blood test (or calcium serum blood test) quantifies the amount of calcium in your blood. There are the following two kinds of calcium blood tests:
- Total calcium: It measures bound calcium (attached to blood proteins) and unbound or “free” calcium (not attached to proteins).
- Ionized calcium: It specifically measures unbound or “free” calcium in the blood.
Why should I need a calcium test?
As part of your regular examination, your doctor may have prescribed a basic or comprehensive metabolic panel, which includes a calcium blood test. Additionally, if you have symptoms of abnormal calcium levels or disorders that can affect your blood calcium, you may undergo this test to monitor or identify them.
Symptoms of high blood calcium level (hypercalcemia)
- Digestive symptoms such as constipation, abdominal pain, loss of appetite
- Increased thirst
- Urinating more than usual
- Kidney stones
- Fatigue
- Bone, joint, and muscle weakness and pain
- A change in mental health, such as confusion and depression
Symptoms of low blood calcium level (hypocalcemia)
- Dry skin, coarse hair, brittle nails
- Muscle cramps, spasms, or stiffness
- Irregular heartbeat
- Tingling in the lips, tongue, fingers, and feet
- Seizures
Many individuals with either high or low serum calcium levels show no symptoms. Therefore, your doctor may prescribe a calcium test if you have a known condition that can affect your calcium levels, such as:
- Malnutrition
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Kidney disease
- Thyroid or parathyroid disease
- Certain kinds of cancers
How can I prepare for a calcium blood test?
If a serum calcium test is your only test, no extra preparations are required.
The test could be part of a basic or comprehensive metabolic panel, which detects various substances in your blood. In this situation, you may need to fast for a few hours before the test. Your doctor will tell you if there are any specific instructions you need to follow.
What are the risks of the test?
The risks associated with a blood test are minimal. Most symptoms quickly fade away, but you can get slight discomfort or bruises at the point of needle insertion to draw blood.
What are the normal blood calcium levels?
The normal calcium levels are:
Total calcium: 8.5 to 10.2 mg/dL
Ionized calcium: 4.4 to 5.2 mg/dL
Since different labs may have different testing standards, normal ranges can vary.
What does a high calcium level mean?
If your test results show that your blood calcium levels are higher than normal (hypercalcemia), you might have:
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Hypethyroidism
- Kidney failure
- Tuberculosis
- Sarcoidosis
- Addison’s disease
- Lung cancer
- Breast cancer
- Certain blood cancers
- Metastatic bone tumor
- Paget’s disease of the bone
- Multiple myeloma
- Vitamin D intoxication
What does a low calcium level mean?
If the results show that your blood calcium levels are below normal (hypocalcemia), you might have:
- Hypoparathyroidism
- Hypomagnesemia
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Osteomalacia
- Pancreatitis
- Kidney failure
- Decreased albumin production, indicating a liver disease
- Celiac disease (or other conditions that cause malabsorption)
Should I be concerned if my blood calcium results are high or low?
A high or low calcium level does not always indicate a medical condition. Blood calcium levels may rise or fall due to certain medicines and dietary habits.
Your doctor may prescribe further tests if your results are abnormal to determine the cause of such levels. These tests could gauge your:
- Ionized blood calcium
- Urine calcium
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Vitamin D
- Parathyroid hormone
- Thyroid hormones
- Calcitonin
Is there anything more I should know about the calcium blood test?
A calcium blood test cannot determine how much calcium your bones contain. A bone density scan, also known as a DEXA scan, is a type of X-ray that measures bone health. It measures mineral content, including calcium, and other characteristics of your bones.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How can I book a Serum Calcium test?
You can book a serum calcium test online through Chughtai Lab’s web portal, mobile app, or Aap Ki Sehat Ka Number – 03-111-456-789. At Chughtai Lab, we provide a hassle-free testing service for patients at home. Moreover, if you are looking for a serum calcium test near me, reach out to your nearest Chughtai Lab outlet. Feel free to contact us to learn more about the test prices and other information.
2. What is the serum calcium test price in Pakistan at Chughtai Lab?
The Chughtai serum calcium test prices are as follows:
| Test | Price (PKR) |
| Serum Calcium (Total) | 1705 |
| Serum Calcium (Ionized) | 1200 |
| Serum Calcium (Corrected) | 1749 |
However, the price of serum calcium tests in Pakistan may vary in different labs.
3. Can I view my test results online?
Yes, you can check the results of your tests via the Chughtai Lab mobile app and WhatsApp. We update our clients via message when their reports are ready.