HYPERCALCEMIA

Course overview

CALCIUM IS THE MOST ABUNDANT CATION FOUND IN THE HUMAN BODY AND PLAYS AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN NEURAL TRANSMISSION, ENZYME ACTIVITY, MYOCARDIAL FUNCTION, COAGULATION, AND OTHER CELLULAR FUNCTIONS. SYSTEMIC ACIDOSIS DECREASES CALCIUM BINDING TO ALBUMIN INCREASING SERUM LEVELS WHILE ALKALOSIS CAUSES THE OPPOSITE EFFECT. SERUM CALCIUM CONCENTRATIONS ARE HIGHEST IN NEONATES AND INFANTS, DECREASE DURING CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE, AND STABILIZE AT ADULT VALUES BY 17 YEARS OF AGE. HYPERCALCEMIA IS DEFINED AS SERUM CALCIUM CONCENTRATION TWO STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE THE MEAN VALUES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSE, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, AND PRESENTATION OF HYPERCALCEMIA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.