COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF CALCIUM CHLORIDE AND CALCIUM GLUCEPTATE

Calcium chloride and calcium gluceptate were compared in their ability to increase plasma ionized calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]). To correct a low ionized calcium concentration, each of 10 critically ill patients received both calcium chloride (10 ml of a 10% solution, containing elemental calcium 27 mg ml−1) and calcium gluceptate (20 ml, containing elemental calcium 18 mg ml−1) over a 5-min period in randomized order approximately 6 h apart. [Ca2+] and haemodynamic variables (mean arterial pressure (MAP), mean right atrial pressure (RAP) and heart rate (HR)) were monitored for a 30-min period following completion of calcium infusion. Infusion of either calcium preparation was associated with similar increases in [Ca2+] (5 min after infusion of calcium chloride: 33±3.1%; calcium gluceptate: 32± 4.3% (mean±SEM)) and the effects on MAP were similar for each solution (11.1±1.8% and 9.7 ± 2.4%, respectively).