Guest guest Posted January 24, 2005 Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 Hypercalcemia In hypercalcemia, the level of calcium in the blood is too high. Hypercalcemia is commonly caused by hyperparathyroidism (the excessive secretion of parathyroid hormone by one or more of the four parathyroid glands). Another cause of hypercalcemia is the ingestion of large amounts of calcium. Occasionally, hypercalcemia develops in people with peptic ulcers if they drink a lot of milk and take calcium-containing antacids for relief. The resulting disorder is called the milk-alkali syndrome. An overdose of vitamin D can also affect the calcium level in the blood by greatly increasing the absorption of calcium from the digestive tract. Hypercalcemia often occurs in people who have cancer. Cancers of the kidneys lungs, and ovaries may secrete large amounts of a protein that has effects similar to those of parathyroid hormone. These effects are considered a paraneoplastic syndrome (see What Are Paraneoplastic Syndromes?). Calcium can also be released into the blood when cancer spreads (metastasizes) to bone and destroys bone cells. Such bone destruction occurs most commonly with cancers of the prostate, breast, and lung. Multiple myeloma (a cancer involving bone marrow) can also lead to the destruction of bone and result in hypercalcemia. Other cancers can raise the calcium level in the blood by means not yet fully understood. Disorders in which bone is broken down (resorbed) or destroyed, causing calcium to be released, may also cause hypercalcemia. In Paget's disease, bone is broken down, but the calcium level in the blood is usually normal. However, the calcium level can become too high if people with the disease become dehydrated or spend too much time sitting or lying down—when the bones are not bearing weight. Rarely, other people who are immobilized, such as paraplegics, quadriplegics, or people who require prolonged bed rest, develop hypercalcemia because calcium in bone is released into the blood when the bones do not bear weight for long periods of time. Hypercalcemia often produces no symptoms. The earliest symptoms are usually constipation, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and abnormally large amounts of urine. Very severe hypercalcemia often causes brain dysfunction with confusion, emotional disturbances, delirium, hallucinations, and coma. Muscle weakness may occur, and abnormal heart rhythms and death can follow. Kidney stones containing calcium may form in people with chronic hypercalcemia. Hypercalcemia is usually discovered during routine blood tests. If the hypercalcemia is not severe, correcting the cause is often sufficient People who have normal kidney function and a tendency to develop hypercalcemia are usually advised to drink plenty of fluids, which stimulates the kidneys to excrete calcium and helps prevent dehydration. If the calcium level is very high or if symptoms of brain dysfunction or muscle weakness appear, fluids and diuretics are given intravenously as long as kidney function is normal. Dialysis is a highly effective, safe, reliable treatment, but it is usually reserved for people with severe hypercalcemia that cannot be treated by other methods. Several other drugs (including plicamycin (MITHRACIN), gallium nitrate (GANITE) , calcitonin (MIACALCIN, CALCIMAR), bisphosphonates, and corticosteroids) can be used to treat hypercalcemia. These drugs work primarily by slowing the release of calcium from bone. Hypercalcemia caused by cancer is particularly difficult to treat. If the cancer cannot be controlled, hypercalcemia usually returns despite the best treatment. Hope this helped Best Regards A.M.J. ---------- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.7.2 - Release Date: 21-01-2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2010 Report Share Posted May 19, 2010 I had hypercalcemia for a rather short time between Aug. 26 and Sept. 15, 2009, one of so many interesting occasions in the last year and a half that I haven't had the will to describe them all! (I also had FC treatment in June, Oct., and Dec. 2009, and FCR in Feb. 2010.) My calcium level peaked at 14.3 on Sept. 9. My hematologist was much concerned and treated it as an emergency. After consulting my diabetes doc, he had me come in on Sept. 10 for a long intravenous rehydration and medication, probably one of those you list, although I've lost track of its name. Whatever it was, it did the trick and by Sept. 16, with no further treatment, my calcium level was back in the normal range and has stayed there ever since. But I avoided dairy products and stopped taking calcium and Vitamin D supplements for some time after that, and am still not taking a calcium supplement, despite having been diagnosed with osteoporosis. I was not aware of any symptoms connected with calcium level except slightly increased fatigue and mental confusion. Nellie of Manhattan age 78, dx 6/99 Seize the day! > From: Shores <ravensgirl62@...> > Subject: Re: Hypercalcemia > CLL@... > Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2010, 8:55 AM .... This is taken directly from the Mayo > Clinics website.. > > " Certain types of cancer, particularly lung cancer and > breast cancer, as well as some cancers of the blood, such as > multiple myeloma, increase your risk of hypercalcemia. Some > cancerous (malignant) tumors produce a protein that acts > like parathyroid hormone, stimulating the release of calcium > from your bones into your blood. This is considered a > paraneoplastic syndrome, your body's response to the > presence of cancer or a substance the cancer produces. > Spread of cancer (metastasis) to your bones also increases > your risk of hypercalcemia. " >... > " A paraneoplastic syndrome is a disease or symptom > that is the consequence of the presence of cancer in the > body, but is not due to the local presence of cancer cells. > These phenomena are mediated by humoral factors (by > hormones or cytokines) excreted by tumor cells or by > an immune response against the tumor. Paraneoplastic > syndromes are typical among middle aged to older patients > (as are all cancers), and they most commonly present with > cancers of the lung, breast, ovaries or lymphatic system (a > lymphoma).[1] Sometimes the symptoms of paraneoplastic > syndromes show even before the diagnosis of a malignancy. " > > Treatment > > If hypercalcemia is not severe, correcting the cause is > often sufficient. If people have mild hypercalcemia or > conditions that can cause hypercalcemia and if their kidney > function is normal, they are usually advised to drink plenty > of fluids. Fluids stimulate the kidneys to excrete calcium > and help prevent dehydration. > > If the calcium level is very high or if symptoms of brain > dysfunction or muscle weakness appear, fluids and diuretics > are given intravenously as long as kidney function is > normal. Dialysis is a highly effective, safe, reliable > treatment, but it is usually used only for people with > severe hypercalcemia that cannot be treated by other > methods. > > Several other drugs (including bisphosphonates, calcitonin > Some Trade Names > > MIACALCIN, corticosteroids, and, rarely, plicamycin) can > be used to treat hypercalcemia. These drugs work primarily > by slowing the release of calcium from bone. > > Hypercalcemia caused by cancer is particularly difficult to > treat. If the cancer cannot be controlled, hypercalcemia > usually returns despite the best treatment. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.