American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Certification Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Study for the ABIM Certification Exam. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, with hints and explanations for each. Get ready to succeed!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

What is the typical response of total calcium levels when serum albumin decreases?

They increase proportionally
They remain stable
They decline
They fluctuate widely

The correct answer is: They decline

When serum albumin levels decrease, the total calcium levels are typically observed to decline. This relationship exists because a significant portion of total serum calcium is bound to albumin. As the level of albumin decreases, the amount of calcium that is bound to it also reduces, which in turn lowers the total calcium concentration measured in the serum. However, it is crucial to recognize that the biologically active form of calcium, referred to as ionized calcium, does not change significantly with variations in albumin levels. Total calcium levels, which include both free and protein-bound calcium, are sensitive to albumin concentrations, leading to a reduction in measured total calcium levels when albumin decreases. This understanding is vital in clinical settings since hypoproteinemia, or low protein levels in the blood, can lead to misleading interpretations of total calcium levels. It's important to adjust total calcium readings for albumin levels to accurately assess the body's calcium status.