Hypercalcemia
What is Hypercalcemia? Hypercalcemia is an unusually towering level of calcium in the blood. A typically high level is usually more than 10.5 milligrams per deciliter of blood. The large quantity of calcium induces many difficulties in our body.
The body keeps a balance on the quantity of calcium in food sources and the calcium already present in the body's tissues in normal circumstances. Whereas in situation is with hypercalcemia, the balance is disturbed. Our body tries to maintain the level in different ways.
When the input of calcium is surplus otherwise the body is inefficient to absorb the mineral due to illness the balance get disturbed. So always bear in mind that anything in surplus should be avoided to keep one healthy.
Hypercalcemia is considered sometimes as a symptom of a chronic inflammatory disease named sarcoidosis.
Vitamin D deficiency, known as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, was a worldwide problem, particularly intemperate zones, until the 1920s when it was found that it could be cured by exposure to light and by the administration of cod liver oil, a substance high in vitamin D. Affected individuals have soft bones, the literal meaning of the term osteomalacia.
What is Calcium?
Mineral Calcium is a notable element in the body. The major role of this element is that this helps in the growth of bones and the maintenance of it. For some other functions of body and tooth formation is also need calcium.
What causes Hypercalcemia?
The widely seen reasons for hypercalcemia are: poor kidney function, hyperparathyroidism, cancer, excessive intake of vitamin D, and therapy for peptic ulcers.
The state where one or more parathyroid glands secrete parathyroid hormone in disproportionate quantity is called Hyperparathyroidism.
Another cause is considered to be Cancer leads to mounting calcium levels in the blood. This destroys the bony tissue. What are the effects of hypercalcemia?
- Dehydration, loss of body water
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness
- Weight loss
- Nausea and vomiting
- Constipation
- Frequent urination
- Kidney stones
- Mental status changes, confusion
- Coma
- Irregular heartbeat
What are the ways to control the calcium levels?
Namely there are three major methods to control Calcium blood levels in the body: Vitamin D hormone and parathyroid hormone (PTH), and kidney function.
- Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is produced by the four parathyroid glands available in the neck. The function of the parathyroid gland is to expel its hormone PTH into the blood whenever the level of calcium circulating in the bloodstream comes down. PTH will bring back the required blood calcium level in different ways such as by stimulating the absorption of more calcium in the intestine. Next method is taking calcium from the bone tissue. And lastly sends instruction to the kidneys to send out more phosphate.
- Vitamin D hormone: This helps the depositing of calcium and phosphate in the bone tissue, which is released when the need arises.
- The kidneys are the organs required in controlling the calcium levels.
Treatment options for Hypercalcemia?
The treatment is based on reason for the rise in calcium level, which leads to the state of hypercalcemia. The medical practitioner is the best judge in deciding the nature of the best treatment suitable for the patient.
Early diagnosis is essential and asymptomatic family members should be checked regularly. If serum calcitonin levels are elevated or become abnormally elevated following stimulation, the patient's thyroid gland should be removed completely, followed by treatment with replacement doses of thyroxin.
Occasionally, as in the case of sarcoidosis, there is an abnormal sensitivity to vitamin D or an increased production of vitamin D metabolites, with the absorption of excessive amounts of calcium and the accompanying appearance of hypercalcemia.
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