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Adult Medical Emergency Handbook - Scottish Intensive Care Society

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• Abdominal pain<br />

• Depression<br />

• Confusion<br />

• Peptic ulceration<br />

• Acute pancreatitis<br />

• Muscle weakness<br />

• Psychosis, drowsiness, coma<br />

• Corneal calcification<br />

• Short QT interval on ECG<br />

COMPLICATIONS<br />

INVESTIGATIONS<br />

All patients<br />

• FBC, ESR<br />

• U&Es<br />

• Ca ++ - ++ ++ , PO , Mg , ionised Ca , albumin<br />

4<br />

• ALP, LFT’s<br />

• ECG<br />

• CXR<br />

• Parathyroid hormone<br />

Specific depending on the history.<br />

• Myeloma screen and skeletal survey.<br />

• Bone scintigraphy.<br />

• Thyroid function tests.<br />

• Serum ACE.<br />

• 24hr urine for calcium and creatinine.<br />

• Short Synacthen test.<br />

TREATMENT<br />

Calculate corrected calcium or refer to ionised value. <strong>Emergency</strong><br />

treatment is required if corrected calcium >3.5 mmol/l (ionised>1.8<br />

mmol/l). Between 3 and 3.5mmol/L may not require emergency<br />

treatment, but this depends on signs and symptoms.<br />

For each 1g the albumin is below 40g/L add 0.02mmol/L to the<br />

uncorrected calcium e.g. calcium 2.62mmol/L with an albumin of 30g/<br />

L gives a corrected calcium of 2.62 + (10 x 0.02)= 2.82mmol/L.<br />

210 adult medical emergencies handbook | NHS LOTHIAN: UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS DIVISION | 2009/11

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