Hypercalcaemia DDx
Causes of HYPERcalcaemia
- Nature: Bones, stones, groans and psychic moans
- Usually associated with increased calcium release form bones and impaired renal removal and malignancy
- Causes: >90% from Malignancy and Hyperparathyroidism
- Basically: Tumour, increased PTH and increased Vitamin D
- Bone Malignancy
- breast, lung, thyroid, kidney, prostate, myeloma, leukaemia
- lymphoma, Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s
- Paget’s (non-malignant increased bone turnover)
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Normally responds to decreased Ca and increases bone turnover
- Other
- endocrine (Addison’s, phaeochromocytoma, hyperthyroidism)
- dehydration
- respiratory (Sarcoidosis, TB)
- drugs (lithium, thiazides, Vitamin D)
- Fictitious
- Not corrected level for albumin
- Prolonged cuff time
Clinical symptoms
- Stones (Renal colic and hypercalcaemic stones)
- Bones (Increased osteolysis and fractures)
- Psychic moans (Depression, confusion, hallucinations and coma)
- Abdominal groans (Anorexia, N, V, constipation, PUD, pancreatitis)
- Other
- Muscle weakness, malaise, hyporeflexia
- Confusion, apathy, decreased memory
- Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (Polyuria and polydipsia)
Complication
Cardiac Arrhythmia and ECG changes
- QT shortening (Prolonged with low K, Ca, Mg)
- Prolonged PR
- Widened QRS
- Notched QRS with increased voltage
- AV block…..CHB…..cardiac arrest
Correction
Key to treatment is volume expansion
- Promote urinary excretion(if CVS and renal function adequate)
- Forced saline Diuresis (plus magnesium and potassium) – 300-500ml N saline/hr
- This replaces lost fluid and forces diuresis
- Must monitor or replace K and Mg as these will be lost in the urine along with the calcium
- NOTE do not give THIAZIDES, they will worsen condition
- Treatment with FRUSEMIDE is controversial as it promotes Calcium bone reuptake
- Haemodialysis
- Treatment of choice in CVS or renal compromise
- Calcitonin/EDTA bisphosphonates
- Reduce bone resorption and reduce GIT absorption of Calcium
- Effect in 48 hours and last 15 days
References and Links
- CCC – Calcium metabolism
- CCC – Calcium basics
- CCC – Hypercalcaemia Overview
- CCC – Hypocalcaemia
- CCC – Calcium replacement (advantages/disadvantages)
- CCC – Calcium as an inopressor
Critical Care
Compendium
Physician in training. German translator and lover of medical history.
BA MA (Oxon) MBChB (Edin) FACEM FFSEM. Emergency physician, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Passion for rugby; medical history; medical education; and asynchronous learning #FOAMed evangelist. Co-founder and CTO of Life in the Fast lane | On Call: Principles and Protocol 4e| Eponyms | Books |