Background:

Calcium is the most abundant electrolyte in the human body, hypercalcemia is a common disorder usually caused by primary hyperparathyroidism or malignancy. A proportion of cases presenting as an emergency, leading to significant mortality. The management of hypercalcemia depends on the presentation and underlying cause.

Purpose:

to present an unusual case of clinical presentation of hypercalcemia associated with primary hyperparathyroidism, as well as to give a brief review about the approach and management of this pathology.

Case presentation:

A 32-year-old female patient, with a history of unresected parathyroid adenoma and pancreatitis, attended for 3 days of abdominal pain, moderate intensity, accompanied by emetic episodes of food content, initial paraclinical findings showed severe hypercalcemia, electrocardiogram with block grade I atrioventricular, arterial gases with acute respiratory alkalosis and hyperlactatemia. CT of the abdomen with brown tumors. She was admitted to the ICU for administration of intravenous fluids, loop diuretics, and cinacalcet without showing any improvement, so hemodialysis therapy was indicated.

Discussion and conclusion:

hypercalcemia is a frequent finding. Primary hyperparathyroidism and malignancy are the two most common causes of elevated serum calcium levels, together accounting for about 90 % of all cases. Serum values vary between total calcium 8.5 and 10.5 mg/dl and ionic 1.16- 1.31. Serum Ca 2+ concentration is closely related by the actions of parathyroid hormone and calcitriol. Primary hyperparathyroidism occurs as a result of adenomas, hyperplasias, or carcinoma. The clinical manifestations and severity will be correlated with the duration of the disease, calcium and PTH levels. Within the treatment, this will be guided by its cause, however, it is possible to classify it into urgent and non-urgent treatment. The approach to severe acute hypercalcemia is a diagnostic challenge given the multiple causes that can lead to this hydroelectrolyte disorder and the rapid establishment of treatment that is required when it is detected.

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