01
True or false
1 point
A patient with severe hypocalcemia has a generalized seizure and confusion. Is waiting for oral calcium supplements to work an appropriate immediate response?
Free Practice Quiz Question List
4 Severe Calcium Abnormalities Online Quiz Questions
Use this free practice quiz with 20 questions to review 4 Severe Calcium Abnormalities, test your knowledge, and prepare for your next test or exam.
20 questions
02
Fill in the blank
1 point
In severe hypercalcemia, the typical ECG change is .
03
Written response
1 point
A patient is acutely ill and has abnormal albumin, making total calcium potentially misleading. Which calcium measurement should be checked, when possible, to confirm a clinically important abnormality?
04
Choose one
1 point
A patient with severe hypocalcemia has a prolonged QT interval. Which ECG change commonly accounts for this prolongation?
- A
Shortening of the ST segment
- B
Lengthening of the ST segment
- C
Shortening of the PR interval
- D
Widening of the QRS complex
05
True or false
1 point
Loop diuretics should routinely be given as calcium-lowering therapy to patients with severe hypercalcemia.
- A
True
- B
False
06
Choose all
1 point
A patient has severe hypercalcemia. Select all complications that are concerning in this condition.
- A
Dehydration
- B
QT prolongation
- C
Acute kidney injury
- D
Altered mental status
- E
Cardiac arrhythmias
07
Written response
1 point
A patient’s hypocalcemia remains difficult to correct despite treatment. Which deficiency should be checked and corrected because it can contribute to this problem?
08
Fill in the blank
1 point
A patient develops severe symptomatic hypocalcemia after neck surgery. The urgent treatment is .
09
Choose one
1 point
A patient is receiving intravenous calcium for severe hypocalcemia. Which monitoring should be used during treatment?
- A
Intermittent temperature checks
- B
Hourly visual assessment only
- C
Continuous ECG monitoring
- D
Daily measurement of oxygen saturation only
10
Choose one
1 point
After urgent stabilization of symptomatic hypocalcemia, which longer-term treatment may be started when appropriate?
- A
Oral magnesium alone, regardless of the cause
- B
Oral calcium and vitamin D when appropriate
- C
Routine loop diuretics
- D
No further treatment after the ECG normalizes
11
Choose all
1 point
A patient has persistent severe hypercalcemia after initial assessment. Select all calcium-lowering therapies supported for this situation.
- A
An intravenous bisphosphonate
- B
Denosumab
- C
Calcitonin as a faster, short-term adjunct
- D
Routine oral calcium supplementation
- E
A loop diuretic as routine calcium-lowering treatment
12
Choose one
1 point
A dehydrated patient has severe hypercalcemia. Which initial fluid-management approach is most appropriate?
- A
Withhold fluid in all cases until calcium normalizes
- B
Begin IV 0.9% saline, individualizing the rate to the patient’s cardiac and renal status
- C
Give high-volume saline without regard to comorbidities
- D
Use a loop diuretic instead of restoring volume
13
Open ended
1 point
A patient with severe hypercalcemia also has significant renal impairment and heart failure. Explain how the need to restore volume should be balanced against the risk of fluid overload, and identify what additional escalation may be considered.
14
Written response
1 point
When treating a severe calcium abnormality, what should management address in addition to the patient's symptoms, rather than focusing only on the laboratory result?
15
Written response
1 point
A patient has abnormal albumin and a total calcium result that may be misleading. Which calcium measurement should be used, when possible, to confirm a clinically important abnormality?
16
Choose one
1 point
After neck surgery, a patient develops carpopedal tetany and has a markedly low calcium level with a prolonged QT interval. What is the most appropriate urgent intervention?
- A
Start oral calcium and observe without monitoring.
- B
Give intravenous calcium gluconate promptly with ECG monitoring.
- C
Give a loop diuretic to raise the calcium concentration.
- D
Wait for the prolonged QT interval to resolve before treating.
17
Choose one
1 point
A patient with severe hypocalcemia remains difficult to correct despite treatment. Which associated abnormality should be checked and corrected because it can contribute to this problem?
- A
Stop all calcium treatment until the cause is known.
- B
Give a loop diuretic to prevent calcium retention.
- C
Check and correct magnesium deficiency if present.
- D
Treat only with vitamin D and avoid reassessing electrolytes.
18
True or false
1 point
A patient with severe hypocalcemia has a generalized seizure and confusion. True or false: oral calcium supplements are an appropriate substitute for urgent intravenous calcium during immediate stabilization.
- A
True
- B
False
19
Choose one
1 point
A patient with severe hypercalcemia is dehydrated and vomiting. Which initial fluid approach is most appropriate?
- A
Begin intravenous 0.9% saline, adjusting the rate to cardiac and renal status and monitoring for fluid overload.
- B
Give a loop diuretic as the routine first-line calcium-lowering treatment.
- C
Restrict all fluids and defer treatment until the calcium level falls spontaneously.
- D
Give high-volume saline at a fixed rate regardless of the patient's condition.
20
Choose one
1 point
A patient with marked hypercalcemia has vomiting, weakness, and confusion. Which set of additional complications is consistent with severe hypercalcemia?
- A
Hypoglycemia, wheezing, and prolonged bleeding.
- B
Liver failure, low body temperature, and isolated hearing loss.
- C
Low blood pressure caused only by blood loss, without kidney or cardiac effects.
- D
Dehydration, acute kidney injury, altered mental status, and cardiac arrhythmias.
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