Hypocalcaemia

DEFINITIONS

Hypocalcaemia (blood calcium levels are low) is a condition where the concentration of calcium in the blood of less than 8.8 mgr / dL of blood.

CAUSE

Blood calcium concentration can be decreased as a result of various problems.
Hypocalcaemia is most common in diseases that cause loss of calcium in the long term through the urine or the failure to remove calcium from the bones.

Most of the calcium in the blood carried by the protein albumin, because if too little albumin in the blood will cause the low concentration of calcium in the blood.

Causes of hypocalcaemia

Causes	Description
Low parathyroid hormone levels	Usually occurs after damage to parathyroid glands or parathyroid glands inadvertently raised the surgery to remove the thyroid
Congenital deficiency of parathyroid gland	Disease-of descent or are part of the DiGeorge syndrome
Pseudohipoparatiroidisme	Disease-of descent; parathyroid hormone levels to normal but bone & kidney response to hormones decreases
Vitamin D deficiency	Usually caused by the intake out of one, less exposure to sunlight (vitamin D pengaktivan occurs when skin is exposed to the sun), liver disease, digestive diseases obstructive absorption of vitamin D, use of barbiturates & phenytoin, yg reduce the effectiveness of vitamin D
Kidney damage	Pengaktivan affect vitamin D in the kidney
Magnesium levels of depression	Causing decreased levels of parathyroid hormone
Intake out of one ormalabsorbsi	Occur with or without vitamin D deficiency
Pancreatitis	Occurs when excess fatty acids in the blood due to injury to the pancreas, joined with calcium
Albumin levels of depression	Reducing the amount of calcium bound to albumin reply but usually do not cause symptoms, because the amount of free calcium remained normal

SYMPTOMS

Hypocalcaemia may not cause symptoms.

Over time, hypocalcaemia can affect the brain and cause neurological symptoms such as:
- Confusion
- Loss of memory (memory)
- Delirium (decreased consciousness)
- Depression
- Hallucinations.
These symptoms will disappear if the calcium levels back to normal.

Calcium levels are very low (less than 7 mgr / dL) can cause muscle pain and tingling, which is often felt in the lips, tongue, fingers and toes.

In severe cases muscle spasms can occur throat (causing difficult breathing) and tetani (whole muscle spasms).

Can occur a change in the electrical conduction system of the heart, which can be seen on an EKG.

Diagnosis

Abnormal calcium concentration is usually first discovered during routine blood tests.
Therefore hypocalcaemia often diagnosed before symptoms appear.

To determine the cause, please note the complete history of the patient's health condition, a complete physical examination and blood tests and other urine.

TREATMENT

Hypocalcaemia treatment varies depending on the cause.

Calcium can be given either intravenously or by mouth (swallowed).

Chronic hypocalcaemia improved by consuming additional calcium by mouth.

Consume extra vitamin D may help increase calcium absorption from the digestive tract.