Recognizing signs and symptoms
Signs and symptoms of hypoparathyroidism
Hypoparathyroidism (also known as hypopara), affects numerous systems in the body and is associated with a range of short-term symptoms and long-term complications. These include neuromuscular irritability, kidney complications, calcification outside of the bone, and cognitive impairment. 2, 3, 4, 8
Below are some of the body systems where an imbalance of PTH levels may have an impact, along with potential signs and symptoms: 2
Tab 1 content.
Tab 2 content.
Symptoms and complications
Brain
- Symptoms of anxiety and depression 2, 4
- Fatigue 2, 4
- Cognitive impairment, ‘brain fog’ 2
Central nervous system
- Seizures 2
- Calcifications 2
- Parkinsonism or dystonia 4
Kidneys
- Nephrocalcinosis 2
- Kidney stones 2
- Chronic kidney disease 4
Peripheral nervous system
- Paresthesia 2
- Muscle cramps 4
- Tetany 2
Heart
- Cardiac arrhythmia 2
- Hypocalcemia associated dilated cardiomyopathy 4
Skin
- Dry skin 2
- Pustular psoriasis 4
- Brittle nails and prone to onycholysis 4
- Coarse, thin hair 4
Brain
- Symptoms of anxiety and depression 2, 4
- Fatigue 2, 4
- Cognitive impairment, ‘brain fog’ 2
Central nervous system
- Seizures 2
- Calcifications 2
- Parkinsonism or dystonia 4
Lungs
- Laryngospasm 2
Kidneys*
- Nephrocalcinosis 2
- Kidney stones 2
- Chronic kidney disease 4
*These manifestations are mostly the result of management with calcium and active vitamin D rather than the disease itself. 4
Peripheral nervous system
- Paresthesia 2
- Muscle cramps 4
- Tetany 2
Eyes
- Cataracts 2
- Papilledema 4
Teeth
- Altered tooth morphology 4
Heart
- Cardiac arrhythmia 2
- Hypocalcemia associated dilated cardiomyopathy 4
Skin
- Dry skin 4
- Pustular psoriasis 4
- Brittle nails and prone to onycholysis 4
- Coarse, thin hair 4
Musculoskeletal
- Myopathy 4
- Spondyloarthropathy 4
Bone mineral density
a measurement of the amount of minerals (mostly calcium and phosphorus) that are in a certain volume of bone 9
Calcifications
when calcium builds up in the body tissues, causes them to harden 10
Cognitive impairment
a range of problems with a person’s ability to think, learn, remember, and make decisions 11
Calcium
a mineral essential for healthy bones, teeth, other body tissue, nerve and cell function 12
Phosphate
an essential electrolyte in the human body 13
Hypocalcemia
when the level of calcium in your blood is too low 14
Hyperphosphatemia
when the level of phosphate in your blood is too high 15
Neuromuscular irritability
a symptom of acute hypocalcemia causing spasm and twitching of the muscles and nerves 2, 4
Renal impairment
when the kidneys are not working properly (this can be to different degrees of functionality) 16
