RESISTANT HYPERCALCEMIA

Course overview

HYPERCALCEMIA IS A SERUM CALCIUM (CA) LEVEL OVER TWO STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE THE AVERAGE MEAN VALUES. THAT EQUATES TO A TOTAL SERUM CALCIUM LEVEL GREATER THAN 10.5 MG/DL OR AN IONIZED CALCIUM LEVEL GREATER THAN 5.3 MG/DL. RESISTANT HYPERCALCEMIA MAINLY OCCURS IN DISEASED STATES WITH SEVERELY ELEVATED SERUM CALCIUM LEVELS. IT IS PREDOMINANTLY REPORTED IN MALIGNANCY-ASSOCIATED HYPERCALCEMIA AND PRIMARY HYPERPARATHYROIDISM AND CAN SOMETIMES BE LIFE-THREATENING. EARLY RECOGNITION AND PROMPT DIAGNOSIS ARE ESSENTIAL TO DECREASE MORTALITY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CONDITION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF RESISTANT HYPERCALCEMIA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE HEALTHCARE TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.