Symptoms
Nervous system
Heart
Gastrointestinal
Kidney
Bone
There is little relationship between symptoms of hypercalcemia and the actual
level of calcium in the blood. Symptoms of hypercalcemia resemble symptoms of
other illnesses, making an early and rapid diagnosis difficult. The severity
of the symptoms may depend on other factors, such as previous cancer treatment,
reactions to drugs, or other illnesses a patient may have.
Most patients do not experience all of the symptoms of hypercalcemia, and some
patients may not have any symptoms at all. However, most patients with high
calcium levels in the blood do have symptoms. Some patients develop signs of
hypercalcemia when calcium levels are only slightly high, while patients who
have had higher calcium levels for a long time may show few symptoms.
The most common symptoms of hypercalcemia are feeling tired, difficulty
thinking clearly, lack of appetite, pain, frequent urination, increased thirst, constipation, nausea, and vomiting.
Symptoms may be classified by the affected body part:
Nervous system
Calcium plays a major role in the normal functioning of the central nervous
system (the brain and spinal cord). Symptoms of hypercalcemia may include
weakness, loss of reflexes in the muscles, and decreased stamina. Patients
with central nervous system symptoms may have changes in personality,
difficulty thinking or speaking clearly, disorientation, or hallucinations.
Eventually, coma may result. Headaches can also occur, which can be made worse
by vomiting and dehydration.
Heart
Hypercalcemia affects normal heart rhythms and increases sensitivity to some
heart medications (such as digoxin). As calcium levels increase, irregular
heartbeats may develop, and may lead to a heart attack.
Gastrointestinal
Increased stomach acid often is produced with hypercalcemia and may intensify
loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. Constipation may result from the
dehydration associated with hypercalcemia.
Kidney
Hypercalcemia causes the kidneys to not function correctly, leading to the
production of large volumes of urine. The large amount of urine combined with
less liquid intake leads to symptoms of dehydration, including thirst, dry
mouth, little or no sweating, and concentrated urine. Patients with myeloma often have kidney problems due to hypercalcemia. Kidney stones may result from
long-term hypercalcemia.
Bone
Hypercalcemia of cancer can result from bone metastases or bone loss, and may
contribute to broken bones, bone disfigurement, and pain.
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