[How I explore ... abnormalities in serum calcium concentration]

Mechanisms for calcium homeostasis are complex but their understanding is important before investigating the calcium disorders. Hypercalcaemia is often due to hyperparathyroidism or cancers. The diagnosis must thus be rapid and a treatment decided in a global approach. Hypocalcaemia, more frequently noted, is often due to a general disorder with hypoalbuminemia or chronic renal failure.