1. Take the Blood Disorders Quiz

Medical Author:

Ruchi Mathur, MD, FRCP(C)

Ruchi Mathur, MD, FRCP(C)

Ruchi Mathur, MD, FRCP(C) is an Attending Physician with the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and Associate Director of Clinical Research, Recruitment and Phenotyping with the Center for Androgen Related Disorders, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

Robert Ferry Jr., MD

Robert Ferry Jr., MD

Robert Ferry Jr., MD, is a U.S. board-certified Pediatric Endocrinologist. After taking his baccalaureate degree from Yale College, receiving his doctoral degree and residency training in pediatrics at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), he completed fellowship training in pediatric endocrinology at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

View Full Profile

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.

Must Read Articles Related to Hypercalcemia (Elevated Calcium Levels)

Acute Kidney Failure Kidney failure, or the ability of the kidneys to filter water and waste is caused by prerenal, postrenal, or renal problems with the kidney(s). Symptoms of kidn...learn more >>

Breast Cancer Breast cancer is cancer arising in breast tissue. Cancer is simply a group of abnormal cells that have abnormal growth patterns. Although breast cancer is...learn more >>

Hyperparathyroidism Hyperparathyroidism is the result of an overproduction of parathyroid hormone (PTH). The exact cause of hyperparathyroidism is not clear in the majority of case...learn more >>

See the Entire Hypercalcemia (Elevated Calcium Levels) Topic Guide »