Hypercalcemia in medicine is called an excess of calcium in human blood. Deviations can be considered values in excess of 2.5 mmol / L.
How does the disease appear?
To begin with, let's figure out why such a violation as hypercalcemia generally occurs. The reasons can be very different, and now we will consider some of them:
1. Disorders of the endocrine system. The most common situation is a malfunction of the parathyroid glands when they produce excessive amounts of hormones.
Excess calcium is also characteristic of other hormonal disorders: hyperthyroidism, acromegaly, etc.
2. Diseases of the bones. Often when bone tissue is destroyed, hypercalcemia occurs. Symptoms of this disorder are pronounced in patients with osteoporosis, patients with some hereditary pathologies and Paget's disease. Loss of calcium in bone tissue also occurs in the case of a prolonged violation of human mobility (for example, with injuries or paralysis).
3. Malignant tumors. A number of neoplasms (for example, in the lungs, kidneys, ovaries) are capable of producing a hormone similar to that produced by the parathyroid glands. Its excess leads to problems with calcium metabolism. A paraneoplastic syndrome develops, which almost always accompanies hypercalcemia. Symptoms may also appear for another reason: there are types of malignant tumors that send metastases to the bones, and thereby provoke the release of large amounts of calcium into the blood.
4. Certain medications can also cause this condition. Particularly dangerous are the remedies taken for heartburn or other disorders of the stomach. An excess of vitamin D can also cause the problem, which is why calcium absorption in the digestive tract is enhanced.
The main symptoms
Now is the time to talk about how hypercalcemia manifests itself. Symptoms can not be noticed immediately, and in some cases the disease generally proceeds without any signs.
So, what are the most common symptoms?
What will happen if you do not notice these signs in time? Hypercalcemia progresses, and in the most severe cases, there are disturbances in the heart rhythm and brain functions, confusion is observed, up to delirium. The patient may fall into a coma. Chronic excess calcium leads to the appearance of kidney stones.
How is hypercalcemia treated?
If the patient is taking vitamin D, stop taking it immediately. In rare cases, surgical intervention is required: removal of one or several parathyroid glands, kidney transplantation.
The attending physician prescribes drugs that help remove calcium from the bones. Often there is a need to prescribe a diuretic (for example, the drug "Furosemide"), so that the kidneys quickly cleaned of excess calcium.
In cases where all other measures are ineffective, dialysis is performed.
It is important to know why hypercalcemia occurred. Symptoms that have arisen due to some other disease may recede for a while, but if the root cause is not eliminated, over time the problem will again come to light.