Key result
Administration of exogenous calcium caused severe complications, including cardiac arrhythmias, atrioventricular dissociation, and further fall of cardiac index and blood pressure in two patients.
Why the study?
Does calcium administration cause adverse effects in patients with low ionized calcium, low blood pressure, and low cardiac index?
Case Report (n=2)
Does calcium administration cause adverse effects in patients with low ionized calcium, low blood pressure, and low cardiac index?
Administration of exogenous calcium in patients with low cardiac index and low blood pressure can cause severe complications including arrhythmias and further hemodynamic deterioration.
Calcium may provoke arrhythmias and hemodynamic collapse in low-output hypocalcemia; case reports leave open whether controlled trials will confirm risk.
Calcium chloride, 7 mg/kg, and calcium gluconate, 20 mg/kg, were administered to patients with low or low-normal levels of serum ionized calcium. Both patients had low blood pressure and cardiac index, and did not respond to digitalis, volume expansion, and beta-adrenergic stimulation with dopamine. Administration of calcium rapid increase of serum ionized calcium levels, decrease of serum potassium levels, and development of severe cardiac arrhythmias. Atrioventricular dissociation and further fall of cardiac index and blood pressure were common features of both cases. Administration of exogenous calcium can cause severe complications, even when theoretically indicated.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Graziano C. Carlon (1978) conducted a case report in Low or low-normal serum ionized calcium with low blood pressure and cardiac index (n=2). Calcium administration (calcium chloride and calcium gluconate) was evaluated on Development of severe cardiac arrhythmias, atrioventricular dissociation, and fall of cardiac index and blood pressure. Administration of exogenous calcium caused severe complications, including cardiac arrhythmias, atrioventricular dissociation, and further fall of cardiac index and blood pressure in two patients.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: