Corrected Calcium Calculator for Hypoalbuminemia
Calculate corrected calcium levels based on albumin.
Why Correct Calcium?
About 40-45% of calcium in the blood travels attached to a protein called albumin. If a patient has low albumin (hypoalbuminemia), their total calcium lab result will look artificially low, even if their active (ionized) calcium is normal.
Correction Formula
- Formula: Corrected Calcium = Measured Calcium + 0.8 × (4.0 - Measured Albumin)
- This adds 0.8 mg/dL to the calcium for every 1 g/dL that albumin is below the normal of 4.0.
Clinical FAQs
When should I use this?
Use this calculator whenever a patient has an abnormal albumin level (usually < 4.0 g/dL) to get a better clinical picture of calcium status.
Is Ionized Calcium better?
Yes. Measuring Ionized Calcium directly is the gold standard, but it requires a specialized blood gas analyzer. Corrected calcium is a useful estimation when that isn't available.