The Hidden Dangers of Hypercalcemia: A Case Report of Undiagnosed Symptoms Leading to Complications

Hypercalcemia is a relatively common metabolic abnormality; however, it is frequently undiagnosed. It often manifests with neuropsychiatric, gastrointestinal, renal, and musculoskeletal symptoms. We report the case of a 75-year-old woman with a history of syncope, anorexia, asthenia, weight loss, polydipsia, polyuria, visual hallucinations, confusion, generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and depression. Laboratory workup revealed severe hypercalcemia (ionized calcium: 1.81 mmol/L) with normal renal function and significantly elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. A diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism was made, and the patient was treated with fluid therapy and zoledronic acid, resulting in the resolution of the symptoms.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Cureus
Published
2025-02-06
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.78631
Primary Topic
Bone health and treatments
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

The Hidden Dangers of Hypercalcemia: A Case Report of Undiagnosed Symptoms Leading to Complications

Lindora Pires, F. Pombo, Francisco Belchior, Ana Filipa Silva
Cureus
Bone health and treatments
article

The Hidden Dangers of Hypercalcemia: A Case Report of Undiagnosed Symptoms Leading to Complications

Lindora Pires, F. Pombo, Francisco Belchior, Ana Filipa Silva
article en

Abstract

Hypercalcemia is a relatively common metabolic abnormality; however, it is frequently undiagnosed. It often manifests with neuropsychiatric, gastrointestinal, renal, and musculoskeletal symptoms. We report the case of a 75-year-old woman with a history of syncope, anorexia, asthenia, weight loss, polydipsia, polyuria, visual hallucinations, confusion, generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and depression. Laboratory workup revealed severe hypercalcemia (ionized calcium: 1.81 mmol/L) with normal renal function and significantly elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. A diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism was made, and the patient was treated with fluid therapy and zoledronic acid, resulting in the resolution of the symptoms.

CureusVol. 17(2)
Centro Hospitalar do Tâmega e Sousa (PT)
Good health and well-being
Openalex Percentile: Top 97%
Bone health and treatments
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

The Hidden Dangers of Hypercalcemia: A Case Report of Undiagnosed Symptoms Leading to Complications — Lindora Pires, F. Pombo, et al. · Cureus (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS