MILK-ALKALI SYNDROME

Course overview

THE MILK-ALKALI SYNDROME IS CHARACTERIZED BY A TRIAD OF ELEVATED CALCIUM LEVELS, METABOLIC ALKALOSIS, AND ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY THAT COMMONLY OCCURS DUE TO THE COMBINED INTAKE OF LARGE AMOUNTS OF CALCIUM AND ABSORBABLE ALKALI. THE SYNDROME CAN HAVE AN ACUTE ONSET WITH THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF HYPERCALCEMIA AND, IF LEFT UNTREATED, MAY DEVELOP ACUTE RENAL FAILURE AND METASTATIC CALCIFICATION. RECENTLY, HOWEVER, AN INCREASED NUMBER OF CASES OF MILK-ALKALI SYNDROME HAVE BEEN REPORTED. THIS IS LIKELY DUE TO THE COMMON USE OF OVER-THE-COUNTER PREPARATIONS OF CALCIUM FOR PREVENTING AND TREATING OSTEOPOROSIS IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF MILK-ALKALI SYNDROME AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.