PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - W. A. Finnis
AU  - M. Cohanim
AU  - E. R. Yendt
TI  - Unsuspected hypercalcemia among adults in hospital
DP  - 1981 Sep 15
TA  - Canadian Medical Association Journal
PG  - 561--564
VI  - 125
IP  - 6
4099  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/125/6/561.short
4100  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/125/6/561.full
SO  - CMAJ1981 Sep 15; 125
AB  - Physicians usually fail to recognize an abnormal serum calcium level and often do not arrive at a definite conclusion about its cause. Yet hypercalcemia, even when minimal, indicates potentially serious underlying disease. This review of the records of about 12 000 adults in hospital showed a prevalence of unsuspected hypercalcemia of 1.4%, a 24% rate of recognition of the abnormal serum level and a 71% rate of correct diagnosis (though often presumptive) of the underlying cause by the attending physician, and a possible prevalence of unsuspected hyperparathyroidism of 0.3%. Because of other considerations, however, the prevalence estimates are probably for too low.