10: Disorders of calcium metabolism Flashcards
Which chemicals increase blood calcium?
PTH
Vitamin D
How do blood calcium levels increase?
Absorption from gut
Moves from bone to blood
Reabsorption from kidneys
How is calcium excreted?
Kidneys
Which gland regulates calcium concentration?
Parathyroid gland
Which receptors on parathyroid glands sense calcium concentration?
Calcium sensing receptors
How is Vitamin D obtained?
Diet (oily fish, red meat and eggs)
Sunlight
What is the mnemonic for hypercalcaemia symptoms?
Stones (renal stones)
Bones (osteoporosis)
Groans (abdominal pain)
Psychic moans (depression)
add on polydipsia and polyuria as well
What are the acute symptoms of hypercalcaemia?
Polydipsia
Polyuria
Confusion
What is seen in chronic hypercalcaemia?
Myopathy
Osteoporosis > Fragility fracture
Hypertension
Abdo pain - pancreatitis, ulcers, kidney stones
What is measured to diagnose hypercalcaemia itself?
Serum calcium
What are the two most common causes of hypercalcaemia?
Primary hyperparathyroidism
Malignancy
Which drugs cause hypercalcaemia?
Vit D - causes inc. calcium absorption, reabsorption and transfer from bones
Thiazide diuretics - increase calcium reabsorption from kidneys
Which granulomatous diseases can cause hypercalcaemia?
Sarcoidosis
TB
(High / low) bone turnover causes hypercalcaemia.
High bone turnover
so diseases like Paget’s
Which tests are done to diagnose hyperparathyroidism?
Raised serum calcium
Raised PTH (or inappropriately normal for Ca levels)
Increased urine calcium secretion
How does malignancy cause hypercalcaemia?
Bone destruction
PTHomas
Inflammatory factors activate osteoclasts
Which liver enzyme will be elevated in hypercalcaemia secondary to malignancy?
ALP
How is suspected malignancy investigated?
Imaging - X-ray, CT, MRI
Nuclear imaging - isotope bone scan