What is hypercalcemia?
Hypercalcemia happens when you have higher-than-normal levels of calcium in your blood. Hypercalcemia can be mild or severe and temporary or chronic (lifelong).
Calcium is one of the most important and common minerals in your body. Most of your body’s calcium is stored in your bones, but you need calcium in your blood as well. The calcium in your blood helps:
- Your nerves work.
- Make your muscles squeeze together so you can move.
- Your blood clot if you’re bleeding.
- Your heart work properly.
Two hormones called parathyroid hormone and calcitonin control the levels of calcium in your blood and bones. Vitamin D also plays an important role in maintaining calcium levels because your body needs it to absorb calcium from the food you eat.
Your body normally carefully controls the level of calcium in your blood, but certain medications and conditions can result in high blood calcium levels (hypercalcemia).
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What is the difference between hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia?
Hypercalcemia and hypocalcemia are medical conditions that both have to do with the amount of calcium in your blood — the difference is how much.
In the medical world, the prefix “hyper-” means “high” or “too much.” Hypercalcemia means you have higher-than-normal calcium in your blood.
The prefix “hypo-” means “low” or “not enough.” Hypocalcemia means you have lower-than-normal levels of calcium in your blood.
Who does hypercalcemia affect?
Hypercalcemia can affect anyone at any age, but it’s most common in people assigned female at birth over age 50 (after menopause). In most cases, this is due to an overactive parathyroid gland.
How common is hypercalcemia?
Hypercalcemia affects approximately 1% to 2% of the general population. Most of the cases — about 90% — are due to primary hyperparathyroidism and cancer-related hypercalcemia (hypercalcemia of malignancy).
Is hypercalcemia life-threatening?
Most cases of hypercalcemia aren’t life-threatening and many people don’t have any symptoms. Healthcare providers often catch it early from routine blood tests.
But severe hypercalcemia can cause more serious problems, including:
FAQs
The main cause of hypercalcemia is an excess parathyroid hormone (PTH). PTH-mediated causes include adenoma/hyperplasia of the gland, familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia, and multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes (type1, 2A).
How do you feel when your calcium is high? ›
Excess calcium makes the kidneys work harder to filter it. This can cause serious thirst and frequent urination. Digestive system. Hypercalcemia can cause stomach upset or pain, vomiting, and constipation.
Does drinking water help with hypercalcemia? ›
Fluids. Fluids through a drip help flush the extra calcium out of your system. Drinking plenty of fluids will help too if you can manage it.
Can hypercalcemia go away by itself? ›
People with mild hypercalcemia may not require treatment, and calcium levels may return to normal over time. The doctor will monitor these levels and the health of the kidneys. If calcium levels continue to rise or do not improve on their own, doctors may recommend further testing.
What foods to avoid when calcium is high? ›
Your provider may ask you to limit foods with a lot of calcium, or not to eat them at all for a while. Eat fewer dairy foods (such as cheese, milk, yogurt, ice cream) or don't eat them at all. If your provider says you can eat dairy foods, don't eat those that have extra calcium added.
What vitamin deficiency causes hypercalcemia? ›
Vitamin D deficiency can cause mild hypercalcemia but can also mask underlying primary hyperparathyroidism—as it did in this case. A Tc-99 sestamibi parathyroid scan will often localize a parathyroid adenoma.
What are 4 symptoms of hypercalcemia? ›
More severe and/or long-term cases of hypercalcemia may cause the following symptoms:
- More frequent urination and thirst.
- Fatigue.
- Bone pain.
- Headaches.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Constipation.
- Decrease in appetite.
- Forgetfulness, depression or irritability.
You might need treatment with IV fluids in the hospital to quickly lower your calcium level. This helps prevent heart rhythm problems or damage to the nervous system. You also might need medicines called loop diuretics if your calcium level stays high. Or you might need them if too much fluid builds up in your body.
What is an alarming calcium level? ›
What Is a High Calcium Level? Your blood calcium level would be considered high if it surpasses the upper limit of the normal range, meaning it is greater than 10.3 mg/dl. Keep in mind that “normal” reference ranges may differ depending on who is processing your labs.
Do bananas lower calcium? ›
Bananas: Commonly available fruits that are good sources of calcium. A cup of sliced bananas gives about 8 mg of calcium. In addition, they are well known for their digestive benefits, improving immunity, regulating blood sugar levels, and helping prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Measures which seek to reduce intestinal calcium absorption are seldom effective. 3. Intravenous bisphosphonates are the treatment of first choice for the initial management of hypercalcaemia, followed by continued oral, or repeated intravenous bisphosphonates to prevent relapse.
Can high calcium go back to normal? ›
If you don't get it treated, high levels of calcium in your blood can lead to bone loss, kidney stones, kidney failure, and heart problems. Your doctor can help you get your calcium levels back to normal and figure out why they're out of whack in the first place.
What is the life expectancy of someone with hypercalcemia? ›
Approximately 50% of these patients will die within 30 days of a hypercalcemia diagnosis, even if the hypercalcemia is corrected, which suggests that hypercalcemia is a sign of hormonally advanced cancer.
How long can you live with high calcium in blood? ›
Eighty percent of patients will die within a year, and there is a median survival of 3 to 4 months. The main pathogenesis of hypercalcemia in malignancy is increased osteoclastic bone resorption, which can occur with or without bone metastases.
Can dehydration cause high calcium? ›
Severe dehydration is known to cause mild or transient hypercalcemia due to a decrease in fluid volume that affects calcium excretion via the kidneys [15]. However, severe hypercalcemia due to dehydration as the primary cause is rare [6,7]. The pathophysiology of severe hypercalcemia caused by dehydration is not clear.
What are two signs of hypercalcemia? ›
More severe and/or long-term cases of hypercalcemia may cause the following symptoms:
- More frequent urination and thirst.
- Fatigue.
- Bone pain.
- Headaches.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Constipation.
- Decrease in appetite.
- Forgetfulness, depression or irritability.
Left untreated, a high calcium level can cause severe problems, like kidney failure, and it can even be life-threatening. Treatment for side effects is an important part of cancer care. This type of treatment is called supportive care or palliative care.
How do you get rid of excess calcium in your body? ›
You might need treatment with IV fluids in the hospital to quickly lower your calcium level. This helps prevent heart rhythm problems or damage to the nervous system. You also might need medicines called loop diuretics if your calcium level stays high. Or you might need them if too much fluid builds up in your body.
