How do these small glands maintain normal calcium levels in the blood?
A. A. Parathyroid hormone, released by these glands, keeps the amount of calcium in the blood from falling below normal: • By conserving calcium at the kidneys • By releasing calcium from the bones • By increasing absorption of calcium from food 4. Q.What goes wrong in primary hyperparathyroidism? A. One or more of the glands becomes enlarged and overactive, producing too much parathyroid hormone. This leads to a rise in the blood calcium. In most patients (80-85%), a single parathyroid gland becomes enlarged and develops into a benign tumor, known as an adenoma. In nearly all other patients (15-20%), two or more glands enlarge, again in a benign fashion, a condition called hyperplasia. Parathyroid cancer is an extremely rare cause of primary hyperparathyroidism. 5. Q. What are the harmful effects of primary hyperparathyroidism? A. The most common symptoms of too much calcium in the blood are loss of appetite, thirst, frequent urination, lethargy, fatigue, muscle weakness, joint pains
