Dose-dependent characteristics of intravenous calcium therapy for hypocalcemic critically ill trauma patients receiving specialized nutritional support

About half of the administered elemental calcium dose was retained for each dosage group, with the higher dose (4 g) resulting in significantly more elemental calcium retention in the exchangeable calcium space. An iCa determination performed about ≥10 h after the completion of the calcium gluconate infusion should be sufficient time to ensure equilibration of iCa to assess the efficacy of the therapy. This mode of calcium therapy serves as an effective means for providing calcium to the acutely hypocalcemic, critically ill, multiple trauma patient.