- Possible symptoms
- Main causes of hypercalcemia
- How to confirm the diagnosis
- How the treatment is done
Hypercalcemia corresponds to the excess of calcium in the blood, in which amounts of this mineral greater than 10.5 mg / dL are verified in the blood test, which may be indicative of changes in the parathyroid glands, tumors, endocrine diseases or due to the side effect of some medications.
This change does not usually cause symptoms, or causes only mild symptoms, such as poor appetite and nausea. However, when calcium levels rise excessively, staying above 12 mg / dl, it can cause symptoms such as constipation, increased amount of urine, drowsiness, fatigue, headache, arrhythmias and even coma.
The treatment of hypercalcemia varies according to its cause, being considered an emergency if it causes symptoms or reaches the value of 13 mg / dl. As a way to reduce calcium levels, the doctor may indicate the use of serum in the vein and remedies such as diuretics, calcitonin or bisphosphonates, for example.
Possible symptoms
Although calcium is a very important mineral for bone health and for the vital processes of the body, when it is in excess it can negatively affect the functioning of the body, causing signs such as:
- Headache and excessive tiredness; Feeling of constant thirst; Frequent urge to urinate; Nausea and vomiting; Decreased appetite; Changes in kidney function and risk of stone formation; Frequent cramps or muscle spasms; Cardiac arrhythmias.
In addition, people with hypercalcemia may also have symptoms related to neurological changes such as memory loss, depression, easy irritability or confusion, for example.
Main causes of hypercalcemia
The main cause of excess calcium in the body is hyperparathyroidism, in which the small parathyroid glands, which are located behind the thyroid, produce in excess of a hormone that regulates the amount of calcium in the blood. However, hypercalcemia can also happen as a result of other situations, such as:
- Chronic renal failure; Excess of vitamin D, mainly due to diseases such as sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, coccidioidomycosis or excessive consumption; Side effect to the use of certain medications such as lithium, for example; Tumor in the bones, kidneys or intestine in advanced stage; Tumor in pancreatic islets; multiple myeloma; milk-alkali syndrome, caused by excessive calcium intake and use of antacids; Paget's disease; hyperthyroidism; multiple myeloma; endocrinological diseases such as thyrotoxicosis, pheochromocytoma and Addison's disease.
Malignant hypercalcemia arises due to the production of a hormone similar to the parathyroid hormone by the cells of a tumor, which causes severe and difficult to treat hypercalcemia. Another form of hypercalcemia in cancer cases occurs due to bone injuries caused by bone metastases.
How to confirm the diagnosis
The diagnosis of hypercalcemia can be confirmed through a blood test, which detects total calcium values above 10.5mg / dl or ionic calcium above 5.3mg / dl, depending on the laboratory performed.
After confirming this change, the doctor must order tests to identify its cause, which includes the measurement of the PTH hormone produced by parathyroid glands, imaging tests such as tomography or MRI to investigate the existence of cancer, in addition to assessing vitamin D levels., kidney function or the presence of other endocrinological diseases.
How the treatment is done
The treatment of hypercalcemia is usually indicated by the endocrinologist, done mainly according to its cause, which includes the use of drugs to control hormone levels, exchange of drugs for others that do not have hypercalcemia as a side effect or surgery to remove tumors that may be causing excess calcium, if this is the cause.
Treatment is not done urgently, except in cases where symptoms are caused or when blood calcium levels reach 13.5 mg / dl, which represents a major health risk.
Thus, the doctor may prescribe hydration in the vein, loop diuretics, such as Furosemide, calcitonin or bisphosphonates, to try to reduce calcium levels and avoid changes in the heart rhythm or damage to the nervous system.
Surgery to treat hypercalcemia is used only when the cause of the problem is the malfunction of one of the parathyroid glands, and it is recommended to remove it.
