Hypercalcemia

Hypercalcemia – General Information

Hypercalcemia – Symptoms

If a patient does not keep his or her calcium levels under control (if the individual does not start an adequate therapy for his calcium disorder and for the underlying clinical condition) severe and lethal complications (including coma) can occur. Studies have shown that elderly individuals are generally more prone to developing this condition’s symptoms, even in the moderate forms of this calcium imbalance.Other symptoms that have become associated with the presence of abnormally high blood levels of calcium include flank or abdominal pain, mental status disorders, vomiting, nausea, and so on. However, all patients ought to be aware that this is not a complete list of all the symptoms that could be caused by this medical condition. For further detailed information we strongly advise you to contact your personal health care provider.

Hypercalcemia - Treatment

As a patient that is suffering from the mild to moderate forms of this medical disorder rarely experiences its severe symptoms, most individuals find out that they have Hypercalcemia after they undergo a routine medical check up (that included blood medical exams). A blood test also shows whether the individual’s blood concentration of hormones (especially the ones produced by the parathyroid) is normal. If your physician will find no abnormality in your hormone levels, he or she will ask you to undergo further medical tests in order to find out what is the true cause of your calcium imbalance. Most patients have to take CT scans, chest X-rays, and so on (as these tests will indicate whether you are suffering from lung cancer or other lung malignancies (including sarcoidosis). Female patients will have to undergo mammograms that ought to rule out a potential breast cancer. If a patient does not keep his Hypercalcemia under control, he or she can experience this disorder’s severe complication (that affects various bodily organs and / or systems). The most commonly encountered complications include: osteoporosis, renal lithiasis (kidney stones), kidney failure, nervous system dysfunction, arrhythmia (unusual heart rhythm), and so on.

When a patient is diagnosed with Hypercalcemia, he or she will have to start an adequate therapy that ought to be able to normalize his or her blood calcium levels. In the case of individuals who present the severe form of this medical condition, immediate hospitalization might be required, as in this way the risk of experiencing bone and / or kidney damage is lowered. The therapy that is generally prescribed to such patients includes the administration of IV fluids (that will help keep the organism properly hydrated), the intake of loop diuretics, the administration of calcitonin (a hormone that is produced by the individual’s thyroid), and so on. Other individuals with Hypercalcemia have benefited from a therapy with corticosteroids (glucocorticoids) that have proved quite efficient in the fight against the effects of the abnormally high blood levels of vitamin D (a complication of elevated calcium levels). Some patients are also given IV bisphosphonates. Such drugs belong to a group of medical products that include zolendronate (Zometa) and pamidronate (Aredia) that are able to inhibit the breakdown of the individual’s bones. Some patients with Hypercalcemia have been prescribed hemodialysis. This therapy method has proved efficient in removing the excess calcium and waste from the individual’s blood. This is a viable therapy option for individuals who present kidney impairment and / or to those patients whose conditions have not effectively responded to other therapy sessions. After the patient has managed to stabilize his or her blood levels of calcium (his or her Hypercalcemia), the therapy for this medical condition must concentrate on the underlying disorder that has triggered the calcium imbalance.