Hypercalcemia
(Elevated Calcium
Levels)
- Hypercalcemia Overview
- Hypercalcemia Causes
- Hypercalcemia Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Hypercalcemia Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medical Treatment
- Medications
- Surgery
- Next Steps
- Follow-up
- Prevention
- Outlook
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Author and Editor
- Viewer Comments: Hypercalcemia - Describe Your Experience
Hypercalcemia Overview
One of the minerals that is important in the regulation and processes of many body functions including bone formation, hormone release, muscle contraction, and nerve and brain function is calcium. If levels of calcium in the body are elevated above what is considered normal, this is referred to as hypercalcemia.
Calcium levels in the body are tightly regulated. The regulation of calcium is primarily controlled by vitamin D, calcitonin, and parathyroid hormone (PTH).
- Calcitonin is produced in specialized cells in the
thyroid gland.
- Vitamin D is obtained through a process that begins
with sun exposure to the skin. The process then continues in the liver and kidneys. Vitamin D can
also be found in foods, such as eggs and dairy products.
- Parathyroid hormone is a hormone produced by the parathyroid glands, which are four small glands surrounded by the thyroid and found in the anterior part of the lower neck.
Together, the parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, and vitamin D regulate calcium levels in the bloodstream via the kidneys, and the intestinal tract.

Hypercalcemia Causes
The most common cause of high calcium levels (hypercalcemia) is an overproduction of parathyroid hormone, or hyperparathyroidism. Hyperparathyroidism tends to be more common in women, and occurs in 25 out of every 100,000 individuals. Hyperparathyroidism can be the result of all four parathyroid glands producing an excessive amount of parathyroid hyperplasia (PTH), or the result of just one gland specifically producing an excessive amount of PTH (usually the result of a parathyroid adenoma or benign tumor).
Other medical conditions can be associated with high calcium levels (non-parathyroid hypercalcemia). Some of these conditions are not serious; however, they may vary in severity and chronicity. For example, hypocalciuric hypercalcemia is an inherited condition in which individuals do not excrete normal amounts of calcium, thus calcium levels are usually slightly elevated. Patients with hypocalciuric hypercalcemia have little or no symptoms so it is generally discovered incidentally through routine blood tests. Other causes of hypercalcemia can be life-threatening. Cancers are commonly associated with elevated calcium levels and are referred to as "hypercalcemia of malignancy." Twenty to forty percent of patients with cancer will develop hypercalcemia at some point in their disease.
Other conditions associated with hypercalcemia include:
- cancers, particularly multiple myeloma,
breast cancer and
lung cancer;
- excessive levels of vitamin D from vitamins, excessive dietary calcium, or
from diseases that may result in excess vitamin D production;
- immobilization over a long period of time;
- inherited metabolic or kidney conditions;
- kidney failure;
- overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or excessive
thyroid hormone intake;
and
- use of certain medications such as thiazide diuretics.
Next: Hypercalcemia Symptoms »
Viewer Comments & Reviews
Hypercalcemia - Describe Your Experience
Please describe your experience with Hypercalcemia.
| Printer-Friendly Format | | | Email to a Friend |
Women's Health
Find out what women really need.
From WebMD
Healthy Resources
Featured Centers
- 12 Ways to Prevent the Spread of Viruses
- 10 Surprising Benefits of Treating Depression
- Healthy Home: To Buy or Not to Buy Organic?
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Hypercalcemia (Elevated Calcium Levels)
Acute Kidney Failure Overview
The kidneys are a pair of small (about the size of your fist) bean-shaped organs that lie on either side of your spine at just below your lowest ribs. They filter by-products and toxins from your blood and preserve the balance of bodily fluids and electrolytes.
- The kidneys excrete these compounds with water to make urine.
- They also eliminate excess body water while reabsorbing useful chemicals and allowing waste to pass freely into the bladder as urine.
- They allow a person to consume a variety of foods, drugs, vitamins and supplements, additives, and excess fluids without worry that toxic by-products will build up to harmful levels.
- The kidneys regulate the amount of various substances in the blood and the amount of water in the body.
Blood circulates through the kidneys for filtration.
- As the first step in filtrat...
Featured Topics
Explore 80+ Centers
- Allergy
- Allergy Medications
- Anaphylaxis
- Antidepressants
- Anxiety
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Baby's Health
- Back, Neck, Head Injury
- Bioterrorism, Warfare
- Blood, Lymphatic System
- Bone, Joint, Muscle
- Brain, Nervous System
- Breathing Difficulties
- Burns
- Camping
- Cancer, Tumors
- Children's Health
- Cholesterol
- Cold and Flu
- CPR, Choking
- Cuts, Scrapes, Bruises
- Dementia
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Diabetic Coma, Insulin Shock
- Digestive System
- Dislocations
- Drowning
- Drug Overdose
- Ear, Nose, Throat
- Emotional Wellness
- Endocrine System
- Environmental Injuries
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Exercise, Nutrition
- Eye, Vision
- Fainting
- Fever
- First Aid, Emergency
- First Aid Kits
- Food Poisoning
- Foreign Bodies
- Fractures, Broken Bones
- Glaucoma
- Headache
- Health, Medical
- Heartburn, GERD, Reflux
- Heart, Blood Vessels
- Heart Attack
- Hepatitis
- Immune System
- Incontinence
- Infections
- Kidneys, Urinary System
- Lung, Airway
- Medications
- Men's Health
- Mental Health, Behavior
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Nosebleeds
- Osteoporosis
- Outdoor Living
- Overexposure
- Poisoning
- Procedures
- Psoriasis
- Public Health
- Scuba Diving, Swimming
- Seizures
- Senior Health
- Shock
- Skin, Hair, Nails
- Sleep Disorders
- Social, Family Health
- Sports Injury
- Sprains, Strains
- Statins
- STDs
- Substance Abuse
- Teen Health
- Teeth, Mouth, Oral Health
- Weight Management
- Wilderness Emergencies
- Women's Health
- Wounds

