Which mineral is used in various medical treatments?

• A. Sodium bicarbonate
• B. Magnesium sulfate
• C. Hepatitis B vaccine
• D. Calcium chloride

Answer: (D)

Calcium is a mineral essential for many body functions, including nerve signaling, muscle contraction, heart rhythm, and blood clotting. In medicine, calcium salts are used to replenish calcium quickly when levels are low and to support cardiac and neuromuscular function in emergencies. Calcium chloride, given IV, delivers calcium ions rapidly, making it especially useful in urgent settings where calcium is needed fast. This broad utility—correcting hypocalcemia, helping stabilize the heart in certain emergencies such as hyperkalemia, and aiding in specific overdoses that involve calcium-dependent processes—explains why a calcium salt is the mineral used in various medical treatments.

Sodium bicarbonate is a buffering agent, not a mineral used for broad medical treatment. Magnesium sulfate is a mineral with important, more specific indications (like certain obstetric, cardiac, and electrolyte conditions). The hepatitis B vaccine is a biological product, not a mineral.