What is the Difference Between Hypercalcemia and Hyperoxaluria

The key difference between hypercalcemia and hyperoxaluria is that hypercalcemia is a condition characterized by elevated calcium levels in the blood, while hyperoxaluria is a condition characterized by an increased urinary excretion of oxalate.

Minerals are necessary for the normal functioning of the cells of the body. Hypercalcemia and hyperoxaluria are two conditions due to abnormal mineral levels in the body. Hypercalcemia refers to elevated calcium levels in the blood, while hyperoxaluria refers to increased levels of oxalate in the urine. These two diseases are associated with each other. This is because persistent hypercalcemia is observed in patients with hyperoxaluria. However, these medical conditions have different aetiologies; hence, they should be treated separately.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Hypercalcemia 
3. What is Hyperoxaluria
4. Similarities – Hypercalcemia and Hyperoxaluria
5. Hypercalcemia vs. Hyperoxaluria in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Hypercalcemia vs. Hyperoxaluria

What is Hypercalcemia?

Hypercalcemia is a condition in which the calcium level in the blood is abnormally high. Too much calcium level can weaken the bones, create kidney stones, and cause problems in heart and brain functions. Hypercalcemia is caused by an overactive parathyroid gland, cancer, other diseases like tuberculosis and sarcoidosis, hereditary factors, immobility, severe dehydration, medications (lithium), and supplements (excessive amounts of calcium and vitamin D).

Moreover, symptoms of this condition may include excessive thirst, frequent urination, stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, constipation, bone pain, muscle weakness, confusion, lethargy, fatigue, depression, palpitation, fainting, cardiac arrhythmia, and other heart problems. In addition, hypercalcemia can also cause complications such as osteoporosis, kidney stones, kidney failure, nervous system problems, and abnormal heart rhythm.

Hypercalcemia can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood test, chest X-ray, CT scan, and mammogram. Furthermore, treatment options for hypercalcemia may include calcitonin, calcimimetics, bisphosphonates, denosumab, prednisone, IV fluids, diuretics, and surgery to remove the tissue that’s causing the problem.

What is Hyperoxaluria?

Hyperoxaluria is a condition that occurs when there is too much oxalate in the urine. This excess amount of oxalate can combine with calcium in the urine and cause kidney stones. Inherited genetic changes, increased dietary ingestion of oxalate, and precursors of oxalate or alteration in intestinal microflora can cause hyperoxaluria. Moreover, symptoms of hyperoxaluria are pain in the lower back or side of the body, nausea, vomiting, blood in the urine, pain when urinating, inability to urinate, frequent urination, fever or chills, and smelly urine or cloudy urine. In addition, complications involved in hyperoxaluria include multiple recurrent calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis, nephrocalcinosis, and progressive kidney damage.

Hyperoxaluria can be diagnosed through medical history, physical examination, urine test, blood test, imaging tests such as X-ray, CT scan, ultrasound, kidney and bone marrow biopsy, echocardiogram, and eye examination. Furthermore, treatment options for hyperoxaluria may include a prescription dose of vitamin B-6 and thiazide diuretics to reduce the oxalate level, oral dose of potassium citrate or a combination of orthophosphate and magnesium to prevent calcium oxalate crystals from forming, drinking fluid to flush oxalate from the kidneys, changing the diet, shock wave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy, dialysis, and organ transplantation.

What are the Similarities Between Hypercalcemia and Hyperoxaluria?

• Hypercalcemia and hyperoxaluria are two associated medical conditions.
• Persistent hypercalcemia is observed in patients with
• Both conditions can cause complications.
• They can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood tests, and imaging tests.
• They can be treated through specific medications and surgeries.

What is the Difference Between Hypercalcemia and Hyperoxaluria?

Hypercalcaemia is a condition of elevated calcium levels in the blood, while hyperoxaluria is a condition of increased urinary excretion of oxalate. Thus, this is the key difference between hypercalcemia and hyperoxaluria. Furthermore, complications that result from hypercalcemia include osteoporosis, kidney stones, kidney failure, nervous system problems, and abnormal heart rhythm. On the other hand, complications that result from hyperoxaluria include multiple recurrent calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis, nephrocalcinosis, and progressive kidney damage.

The infographic below presents the differences between hypercalcemia and hyperoxaluria in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Hypercalcemia vs. Hyperoxaluria

Hypercalcemia and hyperoxaluria are two associated medical conditions. However, they have different aetiologies. Elevated calcium levels in the blood characterize Hypercalcaemia, while hyperoxaluria is characterized by increased urinary excretion of oxalate. So, this is the summary of the difference between hypercalcemia and hyperoxaluria.

Reference:

1. “Hypercalcemia.”Penn Medicine.
2. “Hyperoxaluria and Oxalosis.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Bone hypercalcemia – high mag” By Nephron – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Small calcium oxalate stones” By Joel Mills – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia