Osteoporosis : Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle — so brittle that a fall or even mild stresses like bending over or coughing can cause a fracture. Osteoporosis-related fractures most commonly occur in the hip, wrist or spine. Bone is living tissue, which is constantly being absorbed and replaced. Osteoporosis occurs when the creation of new bone doesn't keep up with the removal of old bone.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms include:
• Back pain, caused by a fractured or collapsed vertebra
• Loss of height over time
• A stooped posture
• A bone fracture that occurs much more easily than expected
Treatments
For both men and women, the most widely prescribed osteoporosis medications are bisphosphonates. Examples include:
• Alendronate (Fosamax, Binosto)
• Risedronate (Actonel, Atelvia)
• Ibandronate (Boniva)
• Zoledronic acid (Reclast, Zometa)
Hypercalcemia : Hypercalcemia is too much calcium in the blood. Calcium is important to many body functions, including:
• Bone formation
• Hormone release
• Muscle contraction
• Nerve and brain function
Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamin D help manage calcium balance in the body. PTH is made by the parathyroid glands -- four small glands located in the neck behind the thyroid gland. Vitamin D is obtained when the skin is exposed to sunlight, and from dietary sources such as:
• Egg yolks
• Fish
• Fortified cereals
• Fortified dairy products
Primary hyperparathyroidism is the most common cause of hypercalcemia. It is due to excess PTH release by the parathyroid glands. This excess occurs due to an enlargement of one or more of the parathyroid glands, or a growth (usually not cancer) on one of the glands.
Other medical conditions can also cause hypercalcemia:
• Adrenal gland failure
• An inherited condition that affects the body's ability to regulate calcium (familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia)
• Being bedbound (or not being able to move) for a long period of time
• Calcium excess in the diet (called milk-alkali syndrome, usually due to at least 2,000 milligrams of calcium per day)
• Hyperthyroidism
• Kidney failure
• Medications such as lithium and thiazide diuretics (water pills)
• Some cancerous tumors (for example, lung cancers, breast cancer)
• Vitamin D excess (hypervitaminosis D) from diet or inflammatory diseases
Symptoms
Abdominal symptoms:
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Pain
• Poor appetite
• Vomiting
Kidney symptoms:
• Flank pain
• Frequent thirst
• Frequent urination
Muscle symptoms:
• Muscle twitches
• Weakness
Psychological symptoms:
• Apathy
• Dementia
• Depression
• Irritability
• Memory loss
Skeletal symptoms:
• Bone pain
• Bowing of the shoulders
• Fractures due to disease (pathological fractures)
• Loss of height
• Spinal column curvature
Treatment
Severe hypercalcemia that causes symptoms and requires a hospital stay is treated with the following:
• Calcitonin
• Dialysis
• Diuretic medication, such as furosemide
• Drugs that stop bone breakdown and absorption by the body, such as pamidronate or etidronate (bisphosphonates)
• Fluids through a vein (intravenous fluids)
• Glucocorticoids (steroids)