Hypoparathyroidism

Hypoparathyroidism is an uncommon disorder in which the body secretes abnormally low levels of parathyroid hormone. Hypoparathyroidism, thus, leads to abnormally low ionized calcium levels in your blood and bones and to an increase of serum phosphorus. The symptoms of hypoparathyroidism include fatigue, tingling in fingertips, toes and lips, muscle cramps, twitching of muscles, patchy hair loss, dry skin, brittle nails, seizures, anxiety.

Hypoparathyroidism is treated with calcium and vitamin D supplements to maintain a normal level of calcium in the blood. Vitamin D is necessary because it helps your body to absorb calcium. Also, episodes of life threatening attacks are treated with calcium given intravenously which provides quick relief of symptoms. When the life-threatening attack has been controlled, treatment continues with medicine taken by mouth.

The diagnosis-based prevalence approach estimated 58,793 insured patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism.