Hypercalcemia is an excess of calcium in the blood. Its proper absorption is determined by hormones secreted by the parathyroid and thyroid gland. Hypercalcemia is caused by excess or uncontrolled production of hormones, as well as by neoplastic diseases that metastasize to the bones. What are the causes and symptoms of hypercalcemia? What is the treatment for excess calcium in the blood?
Hypercalcemiatoexcess calciumin the blood resulting from poor management of this element by the body. Hormones are responsible for this.
The most important hormones for this process are:
- parathyroid hormone (PTH) produced by the parathyroid glands
- calcitonin secreted by thyroid cells
They decide what amounts of calcium ingested with food our body is able to absorb, which to excrete, and which - to be released from the bones.
The PTH hormone stimulates the absorption of calcium from the gastrointestinal tract, the release of calcium ions from the bones and increases the absorption of this element in the kidneys.
Calcitonin has the opposite effect: it inhibits absorption and controls the excretion of calcium when there is an excess of calcium in the body.
The proper functioning of these hormones is due to the proper functioning of the endocrine glands that produce them. If they produce hormones in excess or in an uncontrolled manner, they are called overactive.
Hypercalcemia: causes
Hypercalcemia is in most cases the result of an overproduction of PTH, i.e. an overactive parathyroid gland or occurs in patients with parathyroid adenoma.
Also, neoplastic diseases cause excessive bone decalcification, especially those that metastasize to them (myeloma, breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer as well as kidney cancer or ovarian cancer).
Less commonly, the cause of hypercalcemia may be prolonged immobilization causing bone decalcification.
Hypercalcemia: symptoms
Symptoms of excess calcium in the body, i.e. hypercalcemia, can be:
- renal dysfunction (polyuria, urolithiasis)
- gastrointestinal disorders (nausea, vomiting, constipation, gastric and duodenal ulcers, pancreatitis, gallstones)
- cardiovascular disorders (hypertension, heart problems)
- weakness
- disorientation
- sleepiness
These conditions occurring together are called hypercalcemic syndrome.
Hypercalcemia: diagnosis
The basis of a medical diagnosis is to test the level of calcium in the blood serum.
Doctors diagnose hypercalcemia when the serum calcium concentration exceeds 2.75 mmol / L (the norm is 2.2 to 2.6 mmol / L).
To determine the exact cause of the disease, it is also necessary to test the concentration of creatinine, chloride, phosphate, magnesium, potassium, PTH hormone and blood gas measurement.
Hypercalcemia: treatment
Treatment is based on the fight against the underlying disease that caused the body's inappropriate use of calcium (hyperthyroidism, cancer).
Additionally, the goal is to reduce the amount of calcium in the serum.
Abundant hydration and administration of diuretics reduces the absorption of calcium in the kidneys, calcitonin and bisphosphonates reduce the release of this element from the bone, and corticosteroids inhibit its absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.
